The silver trio and the last year at Hogwarts
by Liz Jean Tonks
Summary: Neville returns to Hogwarts for his seventh year. After Voldemort has taken over the wizarding world changes have been made and students have been sorted out. With Ginny and Luna he reinstates Dumbledore's Army to stand up against the new rule at Hogwarts. Through torture, punishments and expulsion they live their final year./stays in Canon/no one OOC/warning: includes violence
1. The arrival of the owl

**A/N:** (*)I'm aware of the fact Neville was born on the 30th of July. I won't change it though, for plot convenience.

With a huge thanks to my Beta, AK!(AnneAquila)

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The arrival of the owl**

It was only a couple of days until September the first and start of new term. Two weeks from Neville's seventeenth birthday, a huge brown owl landed on the roof of the Longbottom's home to deliver his Hogwarts letter. Just as usual.

Neville walked over, pet the bird and, absently providing it with its payment, fixed his eyes on the envelope.

He wasn't sure what to think of it. Quite a good start-off for more discussions, perhaps.

Through the entire summer break he had been arguing about whether returning to Hogwarts was a good idea with his grandmother. He had tried to persuade her to let her go to see what Harry was up to, but she had quite reasonably convinced him Harry was probably not entrusted with anyone, save his closest friends.

Then of course, they had figured Hogwarts might just be the best place to go to. McGonagall had stayed, after all, as had Hagrid and Flitwick...

The decree of compulsory education had been the final straw for her to allow him to go back.

From the outside the letter looked normal, but judging by recent events Neville doubted it contained the usual information. He hadn't enjoyed the Daily Prophet lately. The envelope was thicker than usual, and when Neville tore it open he noticed it did not contain the usual piece of parchment, but three of the same.

Alarmed and thinking this would be no good, he opened and began to read.

* * *

 **HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

 _Headmaster: Severus Snape_

Dear Mr. Longbottom,

We are pleased to welcome you back to new term, starting on 1st of September, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment required for your new school year.

Yours sincerely,

 _Amycus Carrow_

Deputy Headmaster

* * *

Neville frowned at the new names, but till here, nothing serious seemed to have changed.

He looked at the second parchment.

* * *

 **INFORMATION on NEW DECREES concerning ATTENDANCE**

Each student with proved Magical blood (cf. Blood status) between the age of 11-17 is obliged to attend to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry without fail. Students who have been taught recently at abroad schools are committed to attend to Hogwarts from now until the completion of their education and graduation, unless profound investigations and reasonable exceptions permit otherwise.

Home-schooling is, without exception, forbidden and will be controlled. (cf. Decree No. 126, section 2)

Each student is given a blood status. Students with no proof for magical ancestry (Mudbloods) are forthwith expelled.

* * *

Neville looked up, watching how the owl already faded at the horizon. The last piece of parchment contained his school books. He spotted some familiar titles and names. But there also were 'The noble Art and Work of curses', 'The Guideline to deal with Muggles and Mudbloods', and 'Mudbloods and the Dangers they pose'.

He stuffed the book list into his pocket, took the other two pieces of parchment, tore them in two pieces and threw them into the can in the corner of the room.

He rubbed with his hands over his face and sat down at the kitchen table. There had been nothing new to him in those papers but nevertheless the idea of returning to a Hogwarts so different from what he knew didn't feel too comfortable.

The name of Snape holding the Headmaster's office alone set him on edge.

While brooding over his thoughts, his grandmother entered the room, dragging a shopping bag. Neville rose to give her a hand.

'Thanks, dear,' she said, her voice somewhat exhausted.

Her eyes fell on the kitchen table and narrowed. 'Got your school list already?'

Neville nodded.

'A lot of new school books?'

'Some,' he mumbled. 'They wrote something about the new changes in school, too. And the rumors seem to be true, Snape's headmaster now.'

Her eyes narrowed, if possible, even more. 'So the Daily Prophet got that right.'

'It's got it all right. Has to, don't you think? With the ministry controlling over it now?'

'We never knew that for sure.'

Neville snorted silently. 'But it was obvious ever since Voldemort had taken over. Like they let them write what they want.'

'More to the point, as if the Daily Prophet wanted to write something else. I hear there had been a few changes in editors as well. More than the half of them are Death Eaters now. They're doing a clean job of it, don't they?'

She twisted her mouth as if her teeth were aching.

Neville began drawing circles over the table. 'And McGonagall is no longer deputy headmistress.'

Her face paled a bit. 'Damn,' she mumbled. 'That's no good. Who is it, now?'

'Amycus Carrow.'

'Death Eater if I have ever seen one,' she said, her fingers clenching. 'Well, nothing to do about it, is there? Apart from fighting, obviously.'

Neville nodded grimly, and then turned over to catch a glimpse of her shopping.

'There,' she said, stretching with her fingers into the bag and pulling out a magazine.

'The Quibbler. I thought it was a better read these days than the Prophet.'

Neville took the paper and looked at the front page.

"Remain faithful to the Boy Who Lived, not the Man Who Killed"

Curiously, he opened it.

'All good spirit,' his grandmother said. 'I met Xeno the other days - very loyal, very loyal to Harry Potter he is and remains to be.'

Neville smiled.

'Has he seen him lately?'

'Apparently, yes. The day the ministry had fallen. At a family feast of the Weasley's. Did you know? Their eldest son got married.'

Neville stared on the table. 'But not since?' he asked.

'No, obviously he went into hiding,' his grandmother said in a tone as if Neville was some dumb animal.

'But I bet, if the Death Eaters or even Voldemort had caught him, it would be all over the news. They wouldn't keep that silent. After all, they're printing a thousand of posters with his face on him right now. They would want to know public what they have achieved.'

'Yeah, I guess,' Neville mumbled, and bit his lip. Until now, a small hope had somehow survived, a hope telling him Harry might be returning to Hogwarts after all. They could be re-enact Dumbledore's Army, like the last time the ministry had turned against Harry...

But no, of course not. This was not only the ministry, this was Voldemort. Plus, they hadn't been labeling Harry "undesirable No 1" last time..

And above all, they had had Dumbledore.

In light of the approaching school year Neville felt his stomach twist.

Not fear, necessarily. But an uncertain, dreadful anticipation.

* * *

The next day he went to Diagon Alley to get the rest of his school stuff. When he first entered the alley, he stopped dead in surprise.

The alley looked completely different from what he remembered. Gone were the colorful, welcoming buildings and the variety of shops.

There were no laughing students, excited first years running around looking for their school books, curiously examining the shop window. Ollivander's wand shop had not remained empty after he had left - whatever that meant, Neville wondered - and a new shop with books had taken its place, with a grim looking vendor behind the counter.

But it was not only shops or visitors that had changed. The entire atmosphere was gone. Thinking about it now, Neville felt that Diagon Alley looked way more like Knockturn Alley than the Diagon Alley he knew.

Carefully, he took a few steps.

A mother with three kids passed him, apparently doing their shopping. Two of the kids looked like they were Hogwarts students, first years, Neville guessed, and the third seemed around five to six years old.

'Mommy, can I get a robe like that?' one of the older kids asked and stared longingly into one of the shops.

His mother looked up, with a frantic expression on her face. Clearly she didn't enjoy their shopping trip much, either.

'No,' she said with a glance on the sign, 'no, you can't have that one, Bill, they are exclusive for pure-bloods, only... Look, we'll get you one of these, they'll look fine on you, don't you think?'

'I guess,' the boy said, and looked at his mum curiously. 'Mum, why can't we be purebloods?' the smallest boy asked. 'Why didn't you marry a wizard? I'm sure there'd been nice fellows among wizards. James said the other day that we had done better to have a wizard father, from an old wizard family, the best.'

Neville noticed a frown on the women's face.

'Don't listen to such things.'

'But it's true,' the boy called Bill said. 'James has warned me. We'd better not brag about our blood status in Hogwarts, he said. He'd know, wouldn't he? He has already been to Hogwarts for a year and his aunt's teaching at the school now.'

The woman's exhausted face paled a bit.

'I don't think you should spent so much time and listen to what James Carrow is saying,' the woman said. 'Besides, I always only wanted your father.'

The boys face's turned a little red. 'It's not like we didn't like dad,' Bill said quickly, 'but it - I mean, James has shown me the paper-'

'Don't worry,' his mother cut him short. 'We are a fine family.' She looked around her shoulder, and spotted Neville. 'We will talk about this later,' she said, more quietly now.

'When we're at home.'

The two older boys nodded, but the third boy looked around the place now, curiously and had spotted one of the posters. Neville's stomach squirmed. Actually seeing Harry's face staring at him was worse, way worse, than simply talking about them haunting him. At any moment, his friend could be rounded up.

'Look, mum,' he said loudly, 'Harry Potter. I know him!'

'Shh,' his mother said and, hastily, looked around. 'At home,' she whispered.

But the boy didn't seem to pay attention. 'Why are they wanting Harry Potter?,' he asked, 'I thought you were saying that-'

'Shh,' she said desperately, and gave Neville a weird look.

Neville thought she probably thought he was likely a pureblood, or worse, a death eater waiting to spy on people who's blood was not so pure and come after her husband.

The thought made him sad.

The boy opened his mouth again, but before he could speak, she stretched out her hand, packed the three boys and disapparated with a loud crack.

Neville stared at the place where they had vanished.

They hadn't even bought their robes.

For a few seconds he remained where he was, then he remembered why he had come here in the first place, and started walking down the alley. While he was getting his books, he noticed that although quick escapes and whispered conversations were not uncommon, most people obtained their stuff in silence, barely talking to one another.

Apart from the people Neville quickly recognized as purebloods, that is. They had no problems shouting loud rather than talking softly like normal people to each other, and they obviously enjoyed buying products that were labelled "Purebloods Only".

Neville had thought those labels to be a unique exception for one shop, but he found out they were all over the place, found in every shop. He didn't touch a single one of the products, although he was sometimes offered them by the vendors when they heard his family name.

Most of the shop owners occupied lists with pure-blood-family names. In one or two places Neville saw a sign telling him purebloods were given 20% rebate, and he avoided those shops thoroughly.

He was more than glad when he had all his stuff together, and could return home, but the covers of his new school books didn't look very promising. More, they made him wonder whether it wasn't a shame to call the school Hogwarts any longer. It seemed to be on the way to become an institution for dark arts.

It didn't sound like the place he grew up with. And Neville wasn't sure what to make of it.


	2. Back at Hogwarts

**Chapter 2: Back at Hogwarts**

'Watch out for yourself,' his grandmother told him before she left the platform. Neville waved after her and turned to the train.

He wasn't sure what to expect; everything seemed so different, and it seemed so surreal what had happened a few months ago.

He was more than relieved when he spotted a familiar face.

'Luna!'

Luna beamed at him, and walked towards him.

'Hi, Neville,' she said dreamily and looked around. 'Harry won't show, will he?,' she said, in a considering voice.

Neville shook his head. 'I seriously doubt it,' he said.

'Well, shall we get inside then?,' Luna asked. 'Apart from him, everyone will come, won't they? Have to, don't they?'

Neville looked around. 'Well, Hermione doesn't,' he said quietly.

'Oh, yes,' Luna said, 'yeah, I forgot about that. Do you think she's quite alright?'

Neville frowned. Behind Luna a man had appeared he did not know, but he was wearing a black robe, and Neville had seen robes like that before.

'Let's get inside and look for a seat,' he mumbled. Luna nodded friendly and they entered the train.

It was full, like always, and although chattering and mumbling filled the air, the atmosphere wasn't comparable to Neville's previous rides on the Hogwarts express. No chocolate frogs jumping around, no jinxing around, and in general the laughter seemed more gloomily.

They found a compartment at the end of the train, and just when they sat down and Neville got up to close the compartment door, he spotted Ginny Weasley at the end of the corridor. He waited until she had reached them, and then sat down again, next to the window.

Ginny smoothed her hair back, and smiled a little bit forced. She looked exhausted and tired and Neville noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

'Everything alright?,' she asked.

Neville shrugged. 'Yeah,' he mumbled. 'You?'

Ginny merely nodded.

Then Neville remembered.

'Hey- you where with Harry over the summer!,' he said, and then checked the door quickly to make sure they weren't overheard.

Ginny nodded slowly.

'Well?,' Neville asked hopefully. 'How is he?' Ginny bit her lip and Neville realised that he hadn't behaved quite sensitive. He remembered his gran telling him Harry had vanished since the ministry had fallen. Ginny hadn't seen Harry in a month, probably she knew nothing more than Neville and probably that thought tormented her even more.

'Where's Ron?,' Luna said into the silence. 'Doesn't he want to sit with us?'

Ginny looked up and Neville thought for a second there was a small tear in a corner of her eyes.

Luna looked at the compartment door and frowned. 'Isn't he coming?,' she asked. 'I thought everyone has to now.'

Ginny didn't say anything.

'Is he with Harry, then?,' Luna asked, her voice quite content.

Ginny nodded slightly.

Luna opened her mouth but that very moment a dark-cloaked person passed their compartment and Ginny cut her short. 'I mean, my brother has spattergroit. Has been lying in bed all summer,' she said quickly.

Luna looked confused for a moment, but then seemed to understand and nodded. 'Yes, it's rather nasty, I've heard. Poor Ron.'

With those words she leaned back and took out her copy of the Quibbler.

Neville stared at the cover. 'Erm, Luna,' he began slowly and looked back to the door. The Death Eater had vanished. 'Do you think it is a good idea to read your magazine, given the current circumstances?'

She looked up.

'I mean, it's great what your father's been writing,' Neville went on, 'but maybe we should be a little bit more careful, I don't think they'd be too friendly if they see this.' He pointed at the cover. It had Harry's face on it and a headline that said in all colours how important it was to stand behind the famous boy.

Luna closed her magazine and shrugged. 'They haven't arrested dad yet,' she said, 'and he says that courage is the most important thing at the moment.'

Neville frowned. He didn't think Mr. Lovegood was wrong, but he had no idea what Hogwarts had in store for them with the new regime and he didn't think it unlikely they would sent Luna's dad, and maybe even herself to Azkaban if they spotted his articles.

Ginny seemed as if she hadn't even noticed that the others had been talking. She starred out of the window, her eyes glassy. Neville gave her an encouraging smile, but she didn't reply to it.

Giving a little sigh, Neville leaned his head against the window and watched how the landscape passed by.

He had definitely experienced more cheerful rides on the Hogwarts express.

They hadn't been driving for long, when the compartment door was pushed open. Neville jumped for a second, as if he expected the Dark Lord himself to enter their compartment, but it was only the old woman with her trolley. She didn't smile as usually, though. 'Do you want anything sweet?'

Ginny and Luna shook her head, but Neville went ahead and bought three liquorish wands, figuring something sweet was never too bad.

When he sat down again and offered the wands to Luna and Ginny, Trevor was lured out of his pocket. Curiously he looked out to see what was going on. Luna laughed at his funny face, took one of Neville's wands and bent over to stroke over the toad's skin. Neville turned to Ginny, but she shook her head.

'Not hungry.'

'Okay, I'll save it for you in case you get hungry,' Neville said and stuffed the sweet into his pocket.

Ginny struggled for a smile. 'That's nice of you, but I'm not really in the mood for sweets.'

Luna looked at her sympathetically, but Ginny had already started staring out of the window.

They turned silent again, and remained that way the entire ride until they arrived at Hogwarts.

\\*\

The train came to a stand.

Ginny and Neville got up, but Luna still gazed outside, seeming as if she hadn't even noticed they had stopped.

But then she draw her head back from the window with a sudden movement, grabbed her bag, and left the compartment.

Neville, not even wondering what had been on her mind, followed her slowly, embracing Trevor tightly.

Just like last year, the students were searched, but Neville doubted that the items they were looking for where quite the same as last year.

He frowned slightly when it was his turn to get to the checked, but he felt even worse when she saw Luna searched, for a brief second he feared they would detect her magazine and maybe sent her back right away, or out her in detention the very first day, but like last year, they weren't searched manually, but with detectors. Neville gave a short breath, and they hurried to the carriages. When Ginny had been searched as well, she and Seamus joined them in their carriage, and off they went.

Neville still found it disturbing that they weren't pulling itself, and never had done, but nevertheless, he wasn't quite as freaked out as the first time he had felt the warm breath of a thestral. After all he had already flown on one.

He wondered for a brief second what they might actually look like.

Then he thought it wasn't that unlikely he might find out soon, given the climate, and blinked scarily by this thought.

They arrived in the castle in silence. Usually the carriages were combined with laughter and talk, everyone told each other stories they had not yet told on the train, and they would discuss which new students might join their houses, and whether it would be many and how they would like, if someone had siblings and so on.

Not today, though.

That was not only down to the Snatchers watching over their ride. Apart from them, dementors had been sent to Hogwarts again, and although they more or less kept distance to the students, their appearance was noticed by anyone, and was not very enjoyable. Neville felt himself freezing and he saw a few younger kids in the carriage in front of them screaming when one of the creatures approached them. Biting his lip, he turned around, looking at his friends.

All of them could have conjured a patronus, but they could tell it wasn't in their mind to get rid of the dementors, and for now, caution seemed to be not the worst thing to do.

Until they had figured out how things would be like at Hogwarts now.

Neville gave a sigh. At moments, he still thought they would arrive at Hogwarts and everything would be back to normal. Harry would simply be stuck at the train again, and Ron and Hermione would be with him, and Dumbledore would welcome them back warmly as every school would be the safe place.

Neville knew it was no good to dwell in the past, but nevertheless, he wished to be a child again, waiting to be sorted.

His stomach twisted as he thought of the first years and the other young students. Actually he was quite lucky.

He wouldn't want to know how it would be like for an eleven year old, ready to take his first year at Hogwarts, to find out what he had to expect.

Neville and the others could at least always remain loyal to someone.

What would happen if he didn't have that kind of person? If he'd never known Hogwarts under the rule of Dumbledore? Worse. Much worse.

And at least the teacher had remained. Or most of them, at least. Obviously that Amycus Carrow was a newcomer, and hopefully...

Hopefully not someone else as well.

He thought back of his day in Diagon Alley and wondered whether the two boys were somewhere on the great lake, in one of the boats, and whether their parents were fine... Whether they were with this James, whoever that was. Neville had never heard of a boy named James Carrow before.

They arrived at Hogwarts alright and when they walked up the staircases, and the dementors were left behind in front of the gate, for a moment, everything seemed so normal. Neville checked another time if Trevor was still in his pocket, and around him, people whispered excitedly again, relieved that the dementors were drawn back, and the warmth had returned.

Remembering their third year, Neville thought longingly of what would have happened if a few years ago dementors had been so close to them.

They would have all been given chocolate and the cold would soon be forgotten.

When they entered the great hall, Neville felt for the first time the feeling of home and safe. Professor McGonagall greeted their Gryffindor students back with a small smile, and seeing her made him feel that maybe, after all, things were alright.

But then she didn't leave the hall to greet the youngest students, who would be arriving with their boats around now.

For a second Neville frowned, and almost, he would've asked her if it wasn't time to give the first-years their first instructions, when he saw a man behind the teacher's dining table, rising from his chair and walking towards the door, and he remembered his head of house was no longer deputy headmistress. But someone else had caught his attention already anyway.

Snape sat on Dumbledore's old chair, his thin mouth closed and his eyes resting at the door. He didn't blink once.

The pure sight of him made Neville want to throw up. Trying to keep himself calm, he approached the Gryffindor table, told Luna he'd catch her up later, and stared on his plate.

He didn't raise his gaze once until the doors of the Great Hall were creakingly pushed open and the new students marched down between the table.

He looked over his shoulder, looking at their faces.

Some looked nervous, others quite afraid and some, only some of them, where whispering excited.

Neville swallowed. Of course, them, too, they had been nervous, and maybe a little bit scarred by the massive building, but none of them had had such a dreading look on their face like the children this year, nor had any of the first-years Neville had already seen entering the hall and getting sorted.

But after all, Hogwarts had become a dreadful place.

He looked forward again, to the kitchen table and noticed that apart from McGonagall the other teachers had arrived by now as well. From what he gathered everyone looked normal – so far.

The first-years came to a stand in front of the lectern, and the man leading them up there walked behind the teacher's table and took his seat again. McGonagall's lips got a bit thinner and her eyes flashed for a moment.

Then Snape rose up from the table. Neville and Ginny exchanged an anticipating look and Neville longingly thought back of Dumbledore's first speech he had heard.

Slowly, Snape walked around the table, his robes waving after him.

He approached the lectern and stared into the hall. He didn't need to give a cough for everyone to be quiet. The entire hall stared back to him, some in disgust, some in dread.

And the Slytherins in contentedness.

His hands touched the lectern slightly before he rose his gaze into the crowd again and began to speak in a quite, soft voice. 'Welcome,' he said, 'to another year at Hogwarts.'

He paused and curled his lips.

'Some of you,' he continued in a silky voice, 'who have visited Hogwarts in previous years,' his eyes rested on the older students and got stuck with the Gryffindor table, 'may have already noticed there has been some change in staff this year.'  
He turned to the teacher's table and gave a very small, very thin smile. 'May I please welcome Amycus and Alecto Carrow who gently agreed to held the post of deputy headmasters after we thought...' He broke up and his cold eyes rested on McGonagall. 'That the old holder of the post was no longer acting in the school's best interest.'

For a second there was a pause in which McGonagall and himself exchanged a glance.

Then he turned around to the front again.

'Furthermore,' he said, more icy now, 'I am pleased to inform you that professor Amycus Carrow will be taking care of The Dark Arts lessons, after the previous teacher,' he coughed a tiny little bit, 'has other duties to fulfil.'

Neville frowned and turned to Ginny who gazed absent at the professor.

'After professor Burbage has decided,' he paused frowningly for a second, 'to resign, professor Carrow,' he gave a nod to a woman at the staff's table Neville had not noitced before, 'will be in charge of these lessons now.

'Professor Slughorn will continue teaching potion's class for another year, and in addition he will also take up his old duties as head of Slytherin house. The other head of houses remain,' he turned his gaze to McGonagall again, 'until... further notice,' he stared, 'unchanged.'

McGonagall rose her chin a slightly bit and stared back at Snape. Neville gave her a small, encouraging smile, although he now definitely felt like throwing up.

But Snape had not yet finished.

'Before we start with the Sorting,' he said, 'every student please note that Hogwarts will not be a place of random chatter and foolish hanging around. If some of you came here thinking you are better than what the school has to offer,' again he had turned into the direction of the Gryffindor table, 'then I am afraid you will find that, however lazily the school might have been run before, things have changed a bit. We have elaborated an entire new curriculum, and we will not spent any of our worthy time to catch misbehaviours.'

Neville's hand had clenched a little bit around the table when Snape mentioned Dumbledore. How dare he. His thoughts got carried away when Snape told the usual things about not entering the forest and what was prohibited, and noticed briefly that the list seemed to be longer than in previous years.

Then finally, Snape said, '... and now, let the Sorting begin,' whirled around and walked to his seat, nodding shortly at the male Carrow who got up to get the Sorting Hat.

* * *

Welcome to Hogwarts, everyone,

new students or whatever age you may be

Less we may be than before,

We can learn and we will see.

*/*

Never have I ever sung

a song more challenging and deep,

so everyone, old and young,

listen carefully to me.

*/*

This castle is an ancient school,

it has endured its good and worst.

That's why we shouldn't be so cruel,

let's not start getting these walls cursed.

*/*

It all started a long while ago,

when four well-witted wizards had their aim,

teaching young wizards what there is to know,

for denseness is a common shame.

*/*

Years passed, and good friends were made,

in all the houses that there were, but there may be the flaw.

They bring the school to it's end, I'm afraid:

Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.

*/*

Though genious the idea may seem -

Ravenclaw teaching the well-witted,

To make sure wisdom was more than a dream,.

So everyone went where he was fitted.

*/*

Gryffindors, they were all brave,

came together at Godric's table,

so they could learn how to behave,

certainly, they where able.

*/*

Students very kind and fair,

they went to Hufflepuff to learn more.

To traits like tolerance and care,

she always held an open door.

*/*

Cunning and traditionally,

Slytherin came along,

expected students, just like him -

pure and clever, you found where you belong.

*/*

But if everything went in harmony,

what is there to say?

I can tell you, quite uncertainly,

We've got the time, if I may.

*/*

There where quarrels and there where fights,

amongst the founders,

and amongst their knights,

it led to final destruction of the school towers.

*/*

Headmasters have come and go,

I lived here, watched their running,

I can assure you that I know,

we never had needed someone cunning.

*/*

In time when everything went dark and gloom,

required was cohesion,

as the school would find out soon,

but foes were made, it should teach a lesson.

*/*

Friends torn in different houses,

had departed very soon,

I had never doubted

their arguing at night and afternoon.

*/*

We don't want the story to end here,

be assured, that bonds are cruel,

if we live in a world of fear,

we cannot allow ourselves to fool.

*/*

I will end here, because I must,

and I will do the sorting, thus as planned,

hoping it won't all end in dust,

and you will do as I demand.

*/*

* * *

Neville frowned slightly at Ginny and more or less paid attention to how the first years were sorted into their houses. Amongst the other Gryffindors he cheered at their new housemates and happily enjoyed the feast. The food was as delicious as ever, but it smacked bitterly.

When they entered the common room, Neville said goodbye to Ginny and went straight into the boy's dormitory. He didn't feel much like staying awake; he was tired and he had just realised that Ron, Hermione and Harry weren't the only one missing. Dean hadn't been in the great hall, and, judging by the information sheet that had been delivered with their letters, he no longer had permission to attend the school.

Neville sat down on his bed, and while preparing a nice place for Trevor to sleep, he tried not to think of what might happen, or might have happened to his friend.

He changed into his night clothes and laid down without closing his eyes. He stared at the ceiling and tried to think of nothing.

It took quite a while until his thoughts let him sleep, and he carried them into weird dreams.


	3. Old classes and new classes

**Chapter 3: Old classes and new classes**

He woke up early the next morning and was one of the first to sit at the breakfast table. Ginny was already there, too, but Luna seemed to be still asleep, and so did also most of the other Gryffindors.

'Morning', he mumbled, and helped himself with a slice of toast. Ginny merely nodded.

Neville glanced at the staff table and saw that most of the professors were not there yet either. McGonagall and Hagrid sat next to each other and seemed in a quiet conversation, and professor Sinestra was just getting up to leave the hall, but apart from them, the entire table was empty.

Neville liked it better that way anyway.

When he had almost finished, the hall began to fill itself with students, and soon it got louder again. Snape didn't appear for breakfast, but the Carrows did and spent most of their time shouting at people, who, in their understanding 'misbehaved' rather than eating. Thus, when the hall got empty again, they were the last to start to breakfast.

McGonagall rose from her chair. Amycus Carrow frowned at her and said something Neville couldn't understand. He could hear McGonagall's voice perfectly though, for she did not bother to keep it down.

'As far as I was concerned,' she said coldly, 'it is my duty to tell my students their time-tables. Or aren't you expecting them to show up in time for their first lesson?' Her mouth was thin and it was clear that there were several other things she would have liked to have said, but kept for herself.

Carrow sat down again. He looked furious, but didn't say anything. Professor McGonagall had already turned around and approached the Gryffindor table.

With a snappy movement she handed over the time-tables, discussed the subjects that the fifth years had chosen. She was clearly annoyed, and when she had finished, she whirled out of the hall without turning back once.

Hagrid followed shortly after her. It was the first time Neville saw him on close watch and he noticed he, too, looked exhausted. He gave Neville and Ginny a sympathetic look before walking down the way to his hut.

Neville glanced at his timetable. To his relief, he noticed it was Charms class first, which meant he had at least a little time left until he would get to know the Carrows first-hand.

\\*\

Professor Flitwick's class was interesting as usual, and Neville tried his best to keep up his concentration. His thoughts seemed to want to carry him away, whether he wanted to follow them, or not.

He wasn't the only one though. Gryffindors had Charms Class together with Ravenclaws, and although all of them were capable of letting items zoom around the room and make them fly in their hands, no one seemed to do a very good job at it. Flitwick seemed kind of on edge too, though, and the entire class lacked of the fun that usually was amongst it on a regular basis.

\\*

The Dark Arts lesson he attended to later, was different though. The room already looked gloomily down on them, and it didn't get better when Carrow entered the room. Gryffindors and Slytherins always had had this class together, and obviously it had not changed. They looked curiously at their new professor.

He closed the door shut behind him, and gave a flick with a wand. After he had reached the dais, he put his wand on the desk and stared into the room.

Seamus bent over and whispered something incomprehensible.

'Quiet,' he said. His gaze was piercing and he slowly opened his book, and looked around.

'Can anyone tell me how far this class had been taken to the study of curses?'

Noone spoke. Finally, Seamus spoke up. 'We haven't been practising curses yet,' he said. 'We have been practising how to defend ourselves.' His voice was steady but had an undertone of snappiness Carrow seemed to remark very well.

Carrow made a few steps towards him.

'Your name?,' he asked.

'Seamus Finnigan.'

Carrow's eyes narrowed. 'Half-blood, right?'

Seamus frowned. 'Yes.'

The small eyes of the professor grew even smaller. 'Listen, all of you,' he snarled, 'how inconsistent your previous class may or may not have been is not in my interest. Had you listened to our Headmaster yesterday, you would be aware of the fact that we will study the Dark Arts from now on, not do that helpless flickering with wands you have learned until today.' He paused dramatically. 'Secondly, had you listened to my question, you would have been able to give an appropriate answer, rather than babbeling.'

Seamus stared at him.

Carrow turned to the rest of the class. 'Professor Snape taught you last year, didn't he?'

The class nodded mumbling.

'I will have to talk to him about your knowledge then if you're incapable of giving them myself,' he said and went to his desk to note something on a piece of parchment.

'We will do this as following,' he continued, 'each of you will stand up, one after the other, and no mess, please, and name me a curse and perform it. You start,' he nodded at Goyle who was sitting right at the front. 'Name?'

'Gregory Goyle. Erm,' he started dumb, but then he seemed to consider the task for a moment, 'well, I know the Cruciatus Curse.'

Carrow gave him a beaming look while Neville started to clench his fingers.

'Right,' Carrow said, 'not the one I wanted to start with, bnut undoubtedly effective. If you would perfom it?'

Goyle's brainpower seemed already to be running at high speed, and it took him a few moments to answer. 'Perform it?,' he asked, with a dull smile on his face.

Carrow looked around. 'Let's have a volunteer,' he said and his voice was suddenly very sneery, much like Snape's.

His eyes wandered around the classroom, sometimes pausing at some students, wandering around again and finally stucked with Seamus.

'What about you, Mr. Finnigan?'

Seamus stared at him, and the teacher pointed to the front.

When Seamus didn't move, he snarled at him. 'Finnigan, your classmate wants to give us a demonstration. Do you expect us to wait here until you finally feel like coming forward?'

'It's illegal,' Seamus said. 'You cannot-'

Carrow gave him a look that silenced him immediatley.

Then he turned around again, slowly walking to the front of the desk. 'Finnigan, I will go to my office and fetch some things, and when I am back I expect you to have come to the front, or you'll be in,' he curled his lips, 'trouble beyond your imagination.' With those words he whirled out of the room, leaving behind a bewildered class. Some of the Slytherins had started whispering excitingly, while the Gryffindors were sitting in their seats, the shock written in their faces.

Goyle grinned at Seamus and took out his wand.

Parvati bent forward to Seamus. 'Don't worry,' she mumbled, 'Goyle is so thick, I doubt he could torture as much as a toad.'

Neville flinched and she looked at him apologizing.

But Trevor was not the only reason Neville's face was white as a wall. He had thought of his parents a lot lately, and now his thoughts were unbearable.

He could not even realise what was happening, that this was for real, but the next moment the door got pushed open, Seamus had went in the front of the classroom and Carrow smashed a pile of parchment on the desk.

'Anyone,' he said, 'finding to contradict with any of my teaching, is invited to get some knowledge about curriculum on those papers, and write an essay about the new-received information. Mr. Finnigan is the first to start. Now, if we could proceed with the lesson?'  
Neville swallowed as he saw how is classmate had paled, and started clenching his fingers. He would have liked to say something encouraging to his mate, but there was not really something he could think of. Nervously he checked the clock. They still had a lot of time to go, too much time.

Carrow gave Goyle a short nod, who got up, coughed, and raised his wand.

He flickered it a little, and then pointed it at Seamus. 'Crucio!'

Seamus' expression changed at once, hos mouth opened for a silent scream, and his entire body squirmed. For a moment Neville thought he would break down on the floor, and closed his eyes in dread. Lavender and Parvati exchanged a shocking look.

But the next moment he heard relieved breaths from aside and when he opened his eyes again to look at Seamus he noticed the pain seemed to have stopped.

Relieved, Seamus wiped with his hand over his face. Goyle looked first on his hand, then on his professor.

Carrow emerged from his desk and looked at Seamus. 'Sit down again,' he snapped, and turned to Goyle.

'A poor performance,' he said. 'Though if you have indeed not yet studied curses yet, this may be forgiven. We will definitely put an emphasize on the practical part of studying in this class, be assured.

'Now, what other curses shall we see?'

He turned to Crabbe, who was next in the row.

Neville turned to Seamus. His face was still red and exhausted, but he seemed to have calmed down a little. Neville had the sudden urge to run out of the room, not without giving Carrow a bit of what he deserved. But their teacher had already continued with class, and he gave Crabbe a deep frown.

'I thought you would know that one,' he said, 'but do you find it possible to try it on one of your classmates?'

Crabbe merely shrugged.

'Very well,' Carrow turned to Lavender, 'let's see what curses Gryffindors are familiar with.'  
Lavender paled and Neville could feel her struggle; they hadn't heard of many curses yet, and the ones they had heard about were not any they wanted to have to try out on one of your classmates.

'Erm,' she said, looking hopefully at Lavender, 'I don't think I know any curses yet...'

'What's your name?'

'Lavender Brown.'

Carrow looked at her. 'Seventh year, are you?'

She nodded.

'And expecting to achieve graduation with that poor knowledge?'

But he didn't test her further and went to Parvati.

'Parvati Patil,' she said, 'Erm. the Reducto Curse, right?'

'Right,' he said. 'What use would you think would it have?'

'Erm,' she said, 'well, blasting objects apart.' When he still looked at her, she went on. 'Well, it would be quite useful if you were fighting to stop your opponent, wouldn't it?'

He frowned and nodded. Neville could tell he didn't like her having given a correct answer. 'So?,' he said impatiently. She looked at him. '...sir?'

'Will you demonstrate it?'

'Oh, yes,' she mumbled, 'yeah of course.' She got up and exchanged a miserable look with Lavender. 'Erm, what do you want me to-'

'Just get over with it,' he snarled at her, annoyed. 'We haven't got all day.'

Parvati flinched and turned to the board at the front, and aimed with her wand.

Neville watched her. Parvati should master the spell without problems, they had practised it in their DA meetings. While watching her hand tremble, he thought longingly back at the DA and of Harry.

'Reducto!,' she said, her voice quiet and steady.

The board splittered in thousand pieces. Carrow looked at her sullenly. 'Well,' he said and pointed at her seat again – Parvati sat down – 'undoubtedly a useful spell if your adversary just happens to stand right next to an object you can blast apart, which any smart opponent should avoid.'

He went forward and with a flick of his wand reinstated the board.

Neville frowned and, though hesitating, he raised his hand in the air. Carrow looked at him, frowning. 'Yes?'

'I was wondering what-'

'I thought I had made myself plain when I told you to tell me your name before speaking up,' Carrow said sharply.

Neville swallowed. 'Neville Longbottom. And I was wondering-'

Carrow turned to his desk and noted something on his parchment.

'I was wondering,' Neville said, 'from what kind of opponent we are talking about.'

Carrow glared at him, and Neville suddenly refused having spoken up. 'I mean,' he said, 'we were told in previous classes that we should learn defend ourselves, rather than attack...'

'What is it saying on your time-table, Longbottom? Can you find the word "defence" anywhere on it?'

Neville didn't answer.

'The wizarding world, and thus, its school, is about to revolutionize,' he went on. 'The ministry has seen some changes fittingly, and I don't think you should question their decisions.'

His eyes narrowed.

'Since you feel so urgent to talk, why don't you tell us another curse?,' he asked.

Neville stared at his professor and then answered without hesitation. 'Pertrificus Totalus.'  
Carrow rose his chin a slightly bit, then looked around.

'Since you weren't able to name a curse, Brown, it would be time to get to know one first-hand, wouldn't it?,' he said.

She turned to Neville, who looked at the professor. He had expected this, nevertheless he didn't stand up.

'What is this?,' Carrow snapped furiously, 'if you don't have a go on her right now, Longbottom, I will feel free to pick you as volunteer. You should be glad you have the permission to try the curses yourself, we can change this this instant!'

Neville frowned and didn't know what to do. To his luck this very moment the bell rang and announced the end of the lesson.

Snorting silently, Carrow turned back to his desk. 'Everyone will hand in a 15-inches essay about a curse of your choice,' he said, 'and I expect you to be able to perform this curse in the next lesson. Crabbe and Goyle, you are excluded, your knowledge seemed to be satisfying, although we need to work on your technique.'

He closed the book on his desk and looked up. 'Class dismissed.'

And Neville saw that he was out.

\\*\

'Some new wind, right?,' Lavender asked and made a grimace.

'Some new wind,' Seamus said gloomily. Neville was biting his lip and looked at the staff's people. 'What do you think does McGonagall know about this?'

Seamus shrugged and tossed his glass around. 'No idea, but what help would it be, anyway? I don't think she has got any power over any of this. If she couldn't do anything about Umbridge, what is she supposed to do with three teachers, and You-Know-Who behind their backs?'

'I think they're dreadful,' Ginny said, staring on the table. 'Cruel.'

Neville looked at her. 'Have you already had the pleasure to attend Muggle Studies as well?'

'Yup,' Ginny said darkly, 'but it's no pleasure, believe me.'

Seamus looked up. 'If she's half as nice as her brother I can fairly imagine how class must be like with her.'

Ginny nodded.

Neville sighed and looked out of the window. Dark clouds were drawing closer to the castle, and all the light seemed to fade away.

'It's changing,' he said.

\\*\

After lunch Neville had only one class to attend to, and then he had the afternoon off, time he would desperately need. They hadn't had any homework from Flitwick, but the 15 inches for Carrow didn't write themselves, and he was sure professor Sprout would give them some as well.

As bad as the Dark Arts lesson might have been, as much he enjoyed the herbology lesson. There weren't many students who had decided to continue with herbology for N.e.w.t.-Level, and the lessons were always a lot of fun. Although professor Sprout, too, seemed to suffer under the new regiment, she didn't show it in her classes.

Neville sat in the common room, trying to concentrate on his homework essay. He was quite distracted by the reminders orf the last lesson. Now he considered what he had seen and heard, everything seemed to become more real, and even worse than what he had felt like when he had endured the lesson. Not only the new 'curriculum' was what made him fear. He wondered, if that was what normal lessons look liked, Carrow would do if students misbehaved. This evening it had been announced that he and his sister were in charge from discipline from now on, and they clearly had their own, very detailed view on 'discipline.' It made Neville wonder whether Snape hadn't actually been quite a nice teacher, and he almost longed back the time when Umbridge had taught at the school.

He stared on his parchment. It was late and if he didn't had the essay by tomorrow, he would be in big trouble. He had no doubts his new teacher would fulfill his dreads and curse him right away. That look on his face today... He had to write something down.

But curses! If it had been anything, but curses! What was he supposed to write, 15-inches long, about a body binding curse?

He wondered whether he shouldn't have asked Seamus what he had written but Seamus had seemed so absent during dinner he hadn't wanted to bother him with anything. He wasn't even sure if Seamus had finished his essay, and hoped he had, for he was sure Carrow would otherwise be likely to pick him as a guinea pig again.

He stared on his parchment, took out his quill, and a little ink dropped on the paper. He groaned, carefully tried to evade the stain by stroking over the parchment,, but ended up making everything even worse than before.

Sighing, he decided to forget about the stain and simply get started.

' _The body-binding curse_ ,' he muttered, noting down the headline.

' _The body-binding curse has the incantation "Pertrificus Totalus" and is accompanied by the straight outstretch of your wand_ ,' he wrote, and paused. With a tiny little smile on his face he remembered how Hermione had done this to him, in their very first year, but then the reminder of his old friends quickly made his smile a sad one.

' _It forces the victim to freeze immediatley and therefore, normally, fall to the ground_.'

He frowned and wondered what else there was to write. He hadn't even filled two inches, and his writing wasn't the tiniest.

' _The victim is capable of realising what is around him, that is, hearing and seeing, but cannot move_.'

He paused again.

Now he thought about it, the curse was actually a pretty good defense to knock someone out.

' _Although the victim usually cannot help himself out of the situation, but has to be unfrozen by the spell 'Rennervate', with immense power, magical skills like wandless and silent spells, it is possible for him to charm himself out of the situation. But it requires a lot of concentration, training, and skill_.'

He put his quill aside. It was not very long, but in his opinion, it had all the important points in it, and maybe he could scribble some additional information down tomorrow.

He gave a yawn and stuffed the parchment into his bag, noxed the common room and went up to his dormitory.

When he had been eating in the great hall, the usual Hogwarts atmosphere seemed to be gone for good. The classes and the fact they all had witnessed at least one of the Carrow sibling's teaching had them all brought to realise what Hogwarts would be like the next couple of months.

A first-year boy had been crying about something Amycus had said to him, and when Neville had been ganzing around, he had noticed that the boy was no exception. All over the great hall you saw teary faces, mostly from younger students who Neville knew did not come out of wizard-only families. He lay down, closed his eyes and fell asleep in an instance.

\\*\

The next day didn't start as charming as the one before. Neville woke up and a glance at his time table told him it was Muggle studies now. He bit his lip. He had never taken the subject, but he didn't think it mattered whether you had had any experience with the subject, in defence against the dark arts it hadn't, after all, either.

Like Dark Arts, the entire classroom was full. At least they weren't with Slytherins, but with Ravenclaws, and Neville sat down next to Cho Chang who looked at him miserably.

''lo,' he mumbled and gave her a nod.

'Hey,' she said and turned to him. 'Have you,' she hesitated and looked around, 'have you heard anything about Harry?'

Neville shook his head quietly. For a second he was about to tell her he had last been seen at the Weasley's, and then gone into hiding, but something held him back.

He didn't know Cho particularly well. Of course, she had been in the DA, but... It could be no good to trust too many people, it had been no good for Dumbledore.

He swallowed and turned away from her. What was happening that he started to suspect people he'd known for years?

He forgot Harry and Cho when Alecto Carrow entered the room.

Like with her brother, everyone gazed at her anticipating, but unlike her brother, she didn't start with the lesson right away, but took out a roll of parchment and looked around the room.

'Chang, Cho,' she called and her eyes started wandering. Cho held up her hand.

'Blood status?'

'Erm, Halfblood.'

The professor looked at her list and noted something down.

Like this, she proceeded until she had finished with her list. She raised an eyebrow when Neville said, in a reluctant voice, that he was a pureblood.

She put the parchment on her desk and looked around again. She seemed to be doing that quite often.

'Now,' she said. 'Muggle studies. Who of you has already taken the subject in previous years?'

Only a handful of students raised their hands.

She noted something down again.

'And who,' she went on, 'since I am seeing many of you seem to be not purely magical, who of you has already lived with Muggles?'

Again, a couple of students raised their arms.

Alecto Carrow did not comment that, but she gave a frown and made a note.

'Now,' she said and looked into the classroom, her eyes narrowing. 'We are going to do this as simple. I talk – and you listen. Anyone finding he is contradicting with my opinion will serve detention in which I will take the time to make you understand the matter of our subject. Is that quite clear?'

There was a general movements of nods and mumbling.

'Good,' she said, turning to her desk, and looking at her notes. 'Muggles,' she said, writing the term on the board and putting down the chalk. 'There are three major characteristics. Anyone able to tell me those?'

She looked into a classroom full of empty faces, and turned to the board again. 'Slow, Selfish, Stupid. The three S,' she said, 'bear them in mind.

'But before we start learning about muggles,' she said, 'let me please explain my aims for this class to you. Since you are in your last year in Hogwarts we will have to rush things a little to keep up with the curriculum, but if we study hard this should be no problem, and I expect you to do so.

What we will do, is the following,' she went on. 'We will start with the genesis of Muggle kind, proceed to their danger to the Muggle world, with a close look on their actions in the medieval ages. Then we will have a little excursus to Muggle-borns and their coming by magic, the general differences between Muggles and finally how to act accordingly in the presence of Muggles. By the end of the year you should be able to not only recognize Muggles from twenty feet away, but also you should know how to arm yourself and what you have to do to get over with them.'

She laid down her quill and stared into the classroom.

'Questions?'

Neville had quite a few, but he didn't dare to ask one.

She wrote down her aims on the board and asked them to copy them, and while the scratching of quills filled the room, Neville thought, although the class would base on a more theoretic teaching it was presumably as bad as the Dark Arts class the other day.

While they were still copying, their professor talked again. 'Now you will start with an essay about everything you have learned so far about Muggles, self-experience is hereby asked for, and I will get your essays by the end of the lesson, grading them. You can start,' she looked at the clock. 'Now.'

She turned to her desk, but now Parvati had risen her hand.

'Yes?'

'I was wondering how you expect us to write an essay about something we haven't learned anything about-'  
'Miss Patil, is it?,' professor Carrow frowned. Parvati nodded, and she checked her parchment. 'It says here you are half,' she said, 'that would mean you know all about Muggles first-hand, wouldn't it?' Her lips got a little bit thinner.

Parvati opened their mouth.

'Besides,' Carrow went on, 'did I ever say your essay was supposed to be based on knowledge? I want to know how familiar you already are with the topic, to see what I have to work with, and I don't see your contradiction.'

'But you said you were grading it-'  
'Girl,' Carrow snarled, 'be quiet, write your essay or you will finish it this night, my office!'

Parvati bit her lip, and took out her parchment.

Neville glared at their professor, but she was no longer paying interest to her class. He started writing, having even less an idea what to write than when he had been sitting in front of the essay for Dark Arts.

The clock was ticking way too fast, and in the end he handed in a poorly written, short essay saying that he thought Muggles to be people who couldn't help it that they couldn't do magic but that he this far had not yet met a Muggle who hadn't behaved decent – although he generally had not met a lot of Muggles at all.

Anyway he could say for sure that the professor would not be too pleased about his essay.

But Hogwarts was more and had always been not only classes. The quidditch season had started, and to her great surprise and joy Ginny had been made captain. It was the first time Neville had seen her smile in a lot of days.

McGonagall gave her a rare smile of admiring, before she went out of the common room. After she had left, Ginny's smile already started to fade a bit.

'That'll be a different team this year, won't it?,' she said bitterly. 'Harry and Ron gone, Katie Bell finished with school... Maybe Dean would've played again, but...' She looked down on her hands.

Neville swallowed.

'Well, you'll have to tryout some of the youngsters, won't you?,' he said quickly. 'Maybe one or two of them are quite talented.'

'Yeah, yeah, I will... Hey, Neville, why aren't you trying out?'

He gave a forced laugh. 'Me?,' he asked, and crossed his legs. 'I have two left feet on a broomstick, you would be one player off before the game would've started!'

She shrugged and laughed back at him. 'Fine, someone else then. Just a thought.'

The beam in her eyes faded as fast as it had come. She got up. 'Well, I would better work on a schedule to find a date for the tryouts, won't I?,' she said. Neville nodded. 'You do that. I have got Dark Arts in a couple of minutes.'

'Oh. Sorry for you,' she said, grimacing. 'See you this evening?'

Neville nodded and got up, taking up his curse essay. He hadn't really worked on it any more, and he hoped what he had written was enough for Amycus Carrow.

*/*

He went around the classroom and collected the parchments even before he had started the lesson. Obviously he had made up his mind about the proceed of the class.

'Now,' he said dryly, 'I think we have been talking curses yesterday. And we will hurry up with this a little, I won't spent hours watching your poor performances. Thus we will start today where we have stopped and not a single student will leave the room before we have seen a curse performed by each of you.'

'But we've got other classes to-,' Parvati started, and Neville frowned inwardly.

Carrow whirled around to her. 'They will have to wait then, won't they?,' he said in a dangerous voice. 'Or maybe we delay future discussions and get started?'

He pointed at a random Slytherin. 'Give us a curse, and quick.'

The student got up and the lesson proceeded.

It seemed to take hours. When they had finally earned permission to leave the room, three students and grave marks in their faces, thanks to some of the performed curses on them, and they all were pale. A few, single students where talking excitedly about the lesson – Slytherins only, how Neville noticed.

He didn't have a lesson the next period, but many of them had, and since it was Transfiguration they went to, planning to talk to McGonagall about the Carrows, he simply went among them, thinking it could be no bad getting some encouragement and input from his head of house.

And they all hadn't yet lost their hopes. If they thought she had any power over the school and its teachers any more they had been wrong, however.

She looked at the mess of students that entered her classroom and gave a frown. 'You're not even taking transfiguration all,' she noticed and looked at Neville. 'What is it? You're late.'

They looked at each other.

'Professor McGonagall,' Parvati started slowly, 'it's the Carrows, they-'

McGonagall frowned and looked at her face. 'You're a mess,' she said.

'Yeah,' Parvati mumbled, 'it's Amycus Carrow, he wants us to practise by cursing each other. And, well, the Slytherins are quite creative with their curses,' she closed.

McGonagall gave a sigh. 'There's nothing I can do about it,' she then said, 'as you may have noticed, I had to step aside for the professors Carrow.' Her voice changed. 'And you would do better not to start rebelling, as much as you may loath your new teachers, their actions are out of my hand, and there are worse things than cursing.'

Parvati paled and looked to the ground.

McGonagall opened her book. 'Is it all then?,' she asked. 'We have lost a great deal of time already.'

They nodded slowly.

'Very well,' she said, and gave another look on Neville and the others. 'Off you go then. Please be aware that, however useless and foolish attempts against the Carrows may be, that you can still entrust with me any time.'

The others nodded. 'Thanks a lot,' Seamus mumbled and stared on his scratched hands.

He and Neville left the room.

Luna smiled at Ginny when they were eating in the great hall. She had come to sit with them rather than her classmates and no one had objected.

'Congrats,' she said, gazing at the table. 'I thought I might sign up for the commentary for the match, it was quite fun when I did it last time...'

Ginny beamed at her. 'That'd be great!,' she said. 'Go for it!'

'Yes, I will have to talk to professor McGonagall – or isn't she still in charge for quidditch?,' she asked and gazed dreamily at the table where the professors were sitting.

Neville snorted. 'I think she is,' he said. 'The Carrows wouldn't want to mess with such things. They wanted to ban quidditch and fill the time with something more useful, but Snape seemed to have been all in for it.'

'How d'you know?,' Ginny asked.

'Seamus and Parvati overheard him talking to McGonagall. She seemed to be quite relieved we at least have quidditch left.'

'I bet she has,' Ginny murmured. 'But Snape... He doesn't seem the type, does he? What do you think he's up to?'

Neville shrugged. 'I dunno, but Snape never really had something in against quidditch, did he? He probably wants to beat Gryffindor in the house cup, or something like that.'

Ginny looked thoughtfully at the staff's table. 'It's odd, don't you think?,' she asked. 'With everything that's going on?'

'Maybe he doesn't want to draw any attention to what changes have been made here,' Neville said, frowning.

Ginny nodded slowly. 'Yeah... Yeah, I guess that would make sense...' She turned her head. 'Anyway, it's good for us, isn't it? At least we have something to look forward to now.'

Neville nodded. 'That's true. I might come and watch a bit of the try outs, that should be fun, better than doing homework, anyway.'

Luna looked up. 'That sounds nice,' she said. 'I'll come and watch if I have the time, we have got so much homework lately...'

Neville smiled and emptied his cup. 'I gotta go,' he said. 'You go and ask McGonagall about the commentary, Luna, I'm already looking forward to it.'

The wider growing smile in her face made him smile, too.

Somehow they tried to at least keep their smile. But if a smile was a mere twisting of your lips, what did it give, really?


	4. Dumbledore's Army reinstated

**Chapter 4: Dumbledore's Army reinstated**

It was the next lesson in Dark Arts that made Neville feel the twitch of rebellion in his stomach. Amycus Carrow was standing in the front of the room, explaining to them the development of the Unforgivable Curses. Neville and the others soon learned that their professor had not been lying when he had referred to Goyle's suggestion in the first lesson as "undoubtedly effective." It seemed not only to be his favourite curse, he seemed to use it on a regular basis that made Neville squirm on his stair and feeling the urge to leave the room.

Once the lesson had finally come to an end, he stuffed his things in his bag and walked out of the room, a scene on the corridor made him stop dead.

A younger student, Neville thought he couldn't be older than twelve, got dragged along the corridor by the female Carrow, shouting breathlessly, while she had her hand clenched firmly among his arm.

He shrieked something, but the next second, he dropped to the ground, silenced, his arms uptight on his body.

Her brother came out of the classroom. He eyed the boy for a second, then looked at Neville. 'What a nice demonstration of a body-binding curse,' he said sneeringly. Then he turned to his sister, and rose an eyebrow.

She panted, a little bit exhausted by the kid's attempts to come free. 'Inside your office, shall we?,' she asked.

He sneered. 'Certainly.'

He pushed the door open and let her drag the boy inside, and then closed it carefully. Neville stayed where he was, looking at the closed door, and after a while, shrieks and cries, were very well audible through the wood, and Neville noticed he had been standing here and done nothing, and for a second he felt as if he might faint.

Something wanted him to stay here, in front of the door, and something told him to run. With difficulties, his legs managed to get him back to the common room where he broke down on his bed, and stared at the ceiling for a very long time.

Neville felt even worse when he saw the boy, while walking down to the great hall, to get something to eat. His face was teary and his eyes were red, and he didn't stop wiping over his eyes with his hands. He looked embarrassed at Neville when he passed him, and looked to the ground. Neville did not see any scars or marks on his skin, but he wasn't sure whether this was a good or a bad sign.

In the great hall, he went straight to Luna and Ginny, who sat miserably on the tables.

Neville did not ask him why they had such a look on their face, for he had a pretty good idea why. He came straight to his point.

'Listen,' he said, 'I've been thinking.'

Luna and Ginny looked up.

'Okay,' Neville said, and looked around to all sides to make sure he wasn't overheard, 'the Carrows. We have got to do something about them, because-' he paused for a second to take a deep breath, 'because we can't just sit here and do nothing and-'

He had expected the others maybe to object, to shook their heads, but to his surpirse, both Ginny and Luna seemed to be fond of his words.

'No,' Ginny said. 'We can't. It's unbearable.'

Neville beamed at her.

'So, I was thinking a few years back... Don't you think it would be time to find a use for our old coins again? To restore,' he lowered his voice, 'to restore the DA?'

Luna smiled immediately and nodded, as if it was no big deal. 'Oh, yes,' she said, 'that's a good idea, I've been missing the meetings last year, and now with what is going on, I think we should be able to defend ourselves...'

'I'm actually not thinking only of defence,' Neville said, 'I was thinking more of rebellion, too.'

Luna beamed and nodded happily. 'I'm all for it. Ginny?'

Ginny frowned. 'I don't know, Neville,' she said. 'How d'you imagine it to be? We don't have Harry, we don't have a leader, a teacher... And a lot of the others are gone, too - Fred, George, Ron, Hermione...'

'I thought we could do it,' Neville said, 'ourselves. We don't need Harry, necessarily, especially because we actually already know all basic spells. I was really thinking more of rebellion...'

Ginny still didn't look very convinced. 'I don't know,' she said, 'I mean, what do you wanna do? Run around and yell what you think about their teaching? They'd have you in for that even before Trevor would jump out of your pocket.'

Neville frowned. 'Well, I just thought we should do something,' he said, 'it's what we did with Umbridge, isn't it? And don't you think it'd help? I mean, we can't just let them get to us. This is our Hogwarts! Dumbledore's Hogwarts! How dare they come here and screw it!'

Luna nodded severely. 'I agree with Neville, Ginny,' she said, 'and I'm sure there would be a lot of people who would want to join us, too - we wouldn't necessarily be less than two years ago, maybe there would actually be more students - I mean, everyone is suffering under them, don't they?'

Ginny still looked uncertain. 'Other students?,' she repeated. 'You think they want to risk their necks for some rebellion, because we can't stand the Carrows?'

'It's not about being able to stand them or-'

'Look, I hate the Carrows,' she said annoyed, 'but I don't know, Neville, I just don't know... We'd be in huge trouble, worse than if Umbridge had found out about the DA two years ago... I'm not scarred of them or anything, but maybe McGonagall's got a point... Maybe we should try not to get in trouble. We're talking about You-Know-Who's Death Eaters here, don't we?'

Neville frowned. 'They are,' he said, 'but we cannot let them do what they want with us. We can't just give up. We should be ready to fight. It's what Harry does, isn't it? What McGonagall does, herself. We should, too. It's only right.'

Ginny hesitated. 'Okay,then,' she said, 'but I am not sure we should tell too many people, you can't know whom to trust... We've been betrayed before...'

This thought had occurred Neville already, too. 'I guess we have to do what Hermione's done... Enchant the paper... Maybe threat them with the enchantment.'

Ginny frowned. 'Yeah,' she said. 'let's ask people to fight back the Carrows who threaten us with torture, by threaten them with a spot charm, that sounds great.'

Neville bit his lip. He saw her point, but he wasn't quite sure, if -

'besides,' Ginny interrupted his thoughts. 'D'you think you can master that spell? We don't have got Hermione any more. I know I can't do it, can you, Luna?'

Luna shrugged. 'I dunno,' she said, 'but it won't be necessary until we've got new members, will it? We could simply alarm the old crowd first, and then we'll see if we desperately need more people...'

Neville nodded. 'Mind you, it could be pretty dangerous anyway,' he said, 'I don't think any of the younger students should be a part of it, really...'

'Yeah, good, fine, you don't need to convince me,' Ginny said, 'I never thought we should get involved anyone else in our machinations in the first place.'

'But it's settled, then?,' Neville asked. 'Luna, do you think you could tell Cho and Padma? I can talk to the Hufflepuffs in herbology. We can check if there is a Hogsmeade week-end soon, like last time... Or even better, the room of requirement, we know how it works now...'

'Snape may know how to get in, though,' Ginny said.

Neville turned to her. 'He knows how to get into Hogsmeade , and the rest of the castle, too, so if we're going from there, we can meet nowhere.'

'I just meant we should tell everyone to be careful on their way there, and arrive at different times. It's a pity we haven't got Harry's map.'

Neville nodded. 'It'd be brilliant,' he said, 'but we'll manage. What about doing it tomorrow? Friday afternoons are off for everyone still, aren't they?'

'They are,' Ginny said. 'I had planned on holding try-outs, though... But obviously they can wait, this is more important.'

Harry looked at Luna who nodded. 'It's cool,' she said.

Neville smiled in relieve, feeling for the first time they were doing something right. 'Great,' he said.

'So,' Neville said, looking into the room full of curious faces. 'here's what we gonna do, guys - I mean, you know what Dumbledore's army is...'

His eyes wandered around the room and looked at the familiar faces. It was like being thrown back to their fifth year and it gave the greatest pleasure to have returned to the room of requirement. It still looked the same.

'We need to do something about the Carrows,' Ginny said. 'Because their teaching is horrible, and... well, they're horrible,' she closed.

Neville nodded. 'We decided to refuse to bow down any longer,' he went on. 'So here's what we gonna do. We want to keep practise spells, because that's what we're gonna need with... with You-Know-Who taking over, and his Death Eaters in our castle... And we will also try to give the Carrows hell.'

'How're we gonna do that?,' Cho asked. 'I mean, if they caught us... They do take their discipline quite seriously.' Her face had paled.

Neville sighed inwardly. He had seen the question coming.

'Look,' he said, 'I can't make any promises about what we're gonna do. Obviously none of us wants to get caught, and we will surely be able to try and act in secret, but there are no guarantees. We are talking about Snape, too here, and we know how sneaky he can get... and nasty...'

He lost track for a moment. 'Anyway,' he went on, 'if someone here doesn't want to risk it, that's fine. No one has to be a part of the DA any longer, but if you don't want to be a part of it,' he hesitated a second, 'you should return your galleons now, and sign here,' he held up one parchment, 'which makes sure you don't tell on us.' He looked around.

Some where whispering silently with each other.

'Like Neville's said,' Ginny said, 'no one is committed to join us. Just don't rat.'

'That sums it up nicely,' Luna said smiling, 'we leave the force to the Carrows.'

Neville nodded. 'Right.' Then he looked around. No one got up. The whispering had ceased and they were all looking at them, anticipating.

They waited a few moments, then Neville spoke again. 'Cool,' he said. 'That settles it then, I'd say. You already signed the membership paper, so I guess that's that. Well... I'm not saying you cannot be trusted, because I trust everyone in this room, but still... fair warning, you saw what happened to ratters two years ago, and the charm is still intact. Besides I don't really think anyone in here would do that to their mates, would they?'

He looked around and they all shook their heads earnestly.

'Great,' Neville said. 'So we need to talk about meetings next... I'd suggest we keep using the galleons, thank god no one has thrown his away...'

'Erm,' Michael said from behind. 'I think I have thrown mine away, as a fact... I mean, I guess it might be somewhere. Would have to search it...'

Neville sight silently but couldn't help feeling a little bit sympathetic towards Michael. 'If you can't find it,' he said, 'Ernie can let you know when the next meeting is – you still got yours, Ernie, do you?'

Ernie nodded. 'Of course,' he said fervently.

Neville looked around. 'Everyone else still having theirs?'

Common nods all over the room.

'And the meetings will be set on night, most likely,' Luna went on.

Neville and Ginny stared at her, then Ginny turned to the crowd. 'We haven't actually discussed the time yet...'

'…. but night sounds logic,' Neville continued. 'Obviously we can't start mischief-making with the Carrows crawling around the corridors all day long.'

The others nodded in agreement.

'Any more questions?,' Neville asked. 'I'd say meeting place stays the room of requirement and apart from that, we'll see what time brings?'

Ginny nodded. 'Great,' she said.

'Let's do this, guys.'

Neville smiled. 'Dumbledore's Army,' he said loudly.

And nothing felt better than hearing their cheerful shouting back to him.

\\*\

Ginny held try-outs the next day, and although Neville wasn't particularly eager for quidditch, or flying in general, he decided to come and watch, not only to support Ginny a bit - she looked so lonely lately now her brothers and Harry had left - but also because he figured some lingering in fun and everything beyond reality could only be good for him.

What he hadn't thought to be happening was that the Carrows would be present, or rather, Alecto Carrow. It seemed like she had been ordered to watch over the players, or maybe she just wanted to hang around and catch some misbehaviours she could punish.

To Neville's and everyone else's huge relief, although all the teachers had been charged to report misbehaving students instantly to the Carrows, they rarely did so. McGonagall's lips always tended to get very, very thin, when someone mentioned the Carrows or when she saw them on the corridor, professor Sprout always groaned when the siblings came up, and Hagrid called them 'a ' and avoided them thoroughly. He had it the easiest; he was teaching down in the hut and in the forest, and the siblings barely went down there, for one, because they were always busy with something, and if they weren't they would find something to be busy with, and secondly because, as Neville assumed, but he thought he had to be right, they were afraid of the forest's creatures. He had been afraid that after the Death Eater's arrival at the school, the castle would soon be crawling with acromentulas to guarantee additional watch over the students, but apparently, the creatures still remained faithful to Hagrid. Hopefully it'd stay that way.  
The dementors weren't quite fun, either, though. They were flying all around the school, and since students had earned prohibition of producing a patronus (only a few could conjure one anyway), especially in evenings, it could be very, very uncomfortable outside.

Nevile could already sense their purposes with Dumbledore's army could turn out quite problematic, but he was reluctant to let the idea go; he was devoted to it.

You had to be careful with Filch, too. Although him and Mrs Norris seemed to have become distant problems, barely worth mentioning, Flich was one of the only one in the stuff who would indeed report students, and had in fact already done so. Although the Carrows had not seemed particularly fond of him at the beginning Neville had noticed they seemed more happy with them now he had helped them filling their afternoons with detentions.

Neville regularly passed their offices the last two days now, but to his great reliev no other shreaks had been audible through the doors, and it had seemed that either no other student had earned himself a detention, or that the Carrows had for once been not so cruel.

He didn't seriously thought the latter possible, but who knew. The classes, both Dark Arts and Muggle studies seemed to get worse everyday. Carrow had stopped asking people to volunteer to take on curses, but he still picked them occasionally, especially Gryffindors, to present curses like the body-binding curse, and he took himself a lot of time with rennervating afterwards.

He had not yet returned their essays yet, but his sister had done and she had snarled at the class for about fifteen minutes, telling them how bad their knowledge was, what they had been writing wrongly, that their essays were worse than poor and that she felt ashamed to have to teach such an unknowing class. Neville had barely listened, but she had ended their lecture telling them to rewrite their essays in a night-time detention, and when she said night-time, she meant it. She had scheduled her detention for eleven pm this evening. Seeing her down at the pitch made Neville get sick.

Luna approached him. Or rather, she seemed to be flying towards him, running up the stairs. She was beaming.

Neville looked at her curiously.

'McGonagall said Yes,' Luna called, arrived at his seat and placed herself next to him. 'She said I could commentate the match, and she was looking forward to it.' Luna smiled.

Neville grinned. 'Good for you, Luna,' he said and looked down at the pitch.

'She looks good,' Luna remarked, looking at the girl who was just trying out for keeper. Neville shrugged. 'I dunno,' he said, 'I'm not so into quidditch.'

Luna smiled. 'Me neither, actually,' she said, 'but I've already seen quite a few games. See how she is flying her broom? With such ease, that makes it simple to switch between the hoops.'

Neville looked at her.

'My dad loves quidditch,' she said, 'we went to the World Cup three years ago.'

Neville smiled. 'I've heard the greatest stories about it,' he said, 'we wanted to go, but gran couldn't get the tickets.'

Luna smiled sympathetically. 'It was very nice,' she said, 'too bad you've missed it. But I'm sure one day you can go, too.'

Neville shrugged. 'I hope so,' he said, looking down at the pitch again.

They were quiet for the next minutes. Luna's gaze fall on Alecto Carrow.

'I heard you're in detention tonight.'

Neville grimaced. 'Bad news travels fast, doesn't it,' he said.

'I'm sorry,' she said sympathetically.

'Yeah, well, at least it's us lot,' Neville said. 'Wouldn't want to imagine how a detention with her alone must be like.'

'Dreadful,' Luna said earnestly. 'She's dreadful. Hufflepuff's the only house not put in detention yet, but they are eager to get them in. They both are. I feel like they hate all the houses, except for Slytherins, maybe.'

Neville nodded.

Luna stared at the pitch. 'I'm glad we have the DA meetings again soon,' she said.

Neville nodded. 'Yeah,' he said, 'yeah, me too.'

'Do you already got an idea what we could do?,' Luna asked. 'I was thinking we could maybe try to find some Nargles to put in their room. It sounds like mischief, but I tell you, those beasts can turn out pretty nasty. I'm sure they'd be busy one entire day to get rid of them, and we'd have our peace. What d'you think?'

Neville's mouth twisted and he was almost laughing. 'I dunno,' he said, 'they... they're hard to find, aren't they?'

'Oh yes,' Luna said, 'very, but we're a lot of people, aren't we?'

Neville chuckled a little nervously. 'It's worth a thought,' he said, and looked down at the pitch again. Luna got up. 'I'll see you later,' she said, while already turning to leave. 'I've still got homework to do, and honestly, the try-outs aren't nearly as interesting as the actual game...'

Neville watched her as she left, and after a few minutes alone on the seats, he decided to get up and get finished with some of his homework, too. It had started getting colder, and he figured he should better get inside and do something useful before he had to serve his detention tonight. He waved at Ginny, ignored Alecto Carrow thoroughly and marched upstairs to the castle.

On his way he met Hagrid. He gave a short nod. 'Lo, Neville,' he grouched.

Neville stopped. 'Hey, Hagrid, is everything fine?'

He looked at him. 'What? Oh, oh yeah, everything's fine fine all right... But there's been trouble... Bad-tempered, the lot of them is.'

Neville looked at him in confusion.

'Centaurs,' Hagrid explained. 'Have been quarrelling. There's been trouble with the Carrows, they want Firenze to return to the forest.

'They haven't let him back, though, the lot of 'em. Well, yeh know the centaurs. Had put up for a fight. Against their own kind. And it's down to me sorting it out, it seems.'

He frowned. 'The last thing we need,' he said, 'a centaur's war. The forest would go crazy and I am worried about the acromantula.. Might join up with the dark said, they will. With Aragog gone-'

He looked down to the ground and gave a sniffle.

Neville had no idea who Aragog was, but Hagrid seemed to be upset. It didn't quite suit him.

'I'm sorry,' he said.

'Ah, well,' Hagrid said, 'not like yeh can do anything 'bout it all... Got yer own stuff on yer mind, haven't yeh.' His gaze wandered down to the pitch where Carrow had started to shout something.

'Oh, yeah,' Hagrid said gloomily, 'with 'em teaching... No good, they are. But what yeh had to see coming, with Dumbledore gone and Snape in his place...'

He shook his head sadly.

'Yeah,' Neville said, 'yeah, it's been kind of...' He broke off.

'Well,' Hagrid said and picked up his bag he had put on the ground, 'we gotta live with it, don't we? Tell Ginny down there my best... Had to return with all her brothers at home.' He looked at Neville.

'Come to see me for a cuppa tea, will yeh?,' he said, 'when yeh've got the time. Some afternoon.'

Neville nodded. 'Yes, sure, Hagrid.'

Hagrid got going. 'Once gotta keep his friends close,' he said gloomily, 'in times like these, one has to keep his friends close... Dumbledore'd say that if he was still with us...'

Neville nodded. 'See you soon, Hagrid.'

Hagrid nodded absent and was off.

Neville looked after him. Hagrid seemed kind of off these days, but Neville liked him nevertheless. Neville hoped one day he would find someone as loyal to him as Hagrid was to Dumbledore. Devoted to him, he was.

He got going again, and entered the castle. Now he was inside, he noticed how much warmer it was on here. Although it wasn't even yet October, some days it was already freezingly cold outside, at least if you didn't bring a jacket.

He quickly went up the staircases, and reached the Gryffindor common room, noticing it was already half past eight. He'd have to hurry if he wanted a day of rest tomorrow.

The common room was crowded. It seemed like it hadn't only occurred him that doing homework before Sunday might be a good idea.

Sighing, he sat down and got started.

\\*\

He hadn't finished when it was time to go and see Carrow. Although Neville had not taken as many subjects as some of the others, his teachers seemed to be giving them more than only a bunch of homework.

He got a little bit sick by the thought of the night, but it encouraged him that he wasn't alone. They were six Gryffindors and five Ravenclaws in detention with him. Walking down the corridors with his friends felt awfully good.

When they had reached the office's door, though, all laughter died at once. They looked uncertainly at each other, no one wanting to be the first one to knock.

Finally, Parvati made a step forward and, bracingly, rose her hand to knock at the door.

'In!,' a voice called from inside.

They looked at each other a last time, miserable faces looking at other miserable faces, and then entered.

The office wasn't too big and thus, being filled with eleven students, it soon was crowded.

Alecto got up from her desk, frowning at them. 'Follow me,' she said coldly.

They marched down the corridor and reached her classroom at the tower. Neville wondered why they hadn't met here in the first place.

She pointed at the desks. 'Settle down.'

In silence, they sat down at the desks at the very end of the room. Carrow turned to them, and frowned.

'Not there,' she snarled, and snipped with her fingers. 'To the front.' She watched them changing seats and looked at the watch. 'Hurry up, hurry up,' she said. 'No dawdling.'

When they had all turned silent and seated, she handed out parchment.

'While you finish the task you should have prepared for yesterday's lesson,' she said sharply, 'I want to hear not a single word spoken, by any of you. Anyone feeling need to talk will extend the night for everyone for another twenty minutes, is that clear?'

They nodded, no one daring to speak.  
'I expect detailed description and work. Anyone who has finished,' she continued, 'will hand me in your work, and stay here until I have given permission to leave.

'Since I have told you to read the first chapter of your books in order to prepare for the task, an appropriate essay should be no problem and I therefore expect you to write constantly. You do not need the time to think, and if I catch anyone who, due unpreparedness, has to make up his mind about the topic he wants to write about, I will punish such behaviour accordingly.'

Neville stared at her. He couldn't quite believe his ears.

She looked around, her eyes resting on each of them. 'No questions?,' she asked. 'Very well. Writing starts now.'

The quills started scratching over the paper at once. Neville, starting with the headline, wondered how he should be able to write an entire essay without pausing to think once. Even if he had read the chapter with more watch, he wouldn't have been able to.

But he didn't doubted a second that their professor wasn't aware of the fact. Clearly the Carrows wanted to make their detentions plain to be what they were – punishments.

Though they hadn't actually misbehaved, technically.

He bit his lips and started writing a few sentences. He now regretted he hadn't thought more about what he wanted to write, and payed more attention to what his teacher wanted to hear from him. Obviously she hadn't liked his first essay, or he wouldn't be sitting here, but they hadn't discussed what exactly she expected to hear from them.

And Neville was reluctant to write a inches-long essay about how muggles were stupid and beneath them.

He tried to come up with some legit, negative points about muggles (" _not being able to use magic, muggles are less qualified with sorting out problems than wizards_ ") and good points in favour of wizard kind (" _by using magic, everyday life and sorting out problems is way easier and no further assistance by others is required_ "), but it didn't seem very sufficient to him.

He found himself looking up to the watch more often, and always quickly continued writing, so his professor wouldn't noticed that he didn't pay attention.

He would have liked to look around to see what everyone else was writing, but he knew he would not only get himself into trouble, but the others as well.

And an essay was not worth that.

Soon, he started running out of ideas how to denigrate muggles, and he started with his conclusion, noticing miserably that he had probably not fulfilled her expectations this time, either. Maybe if pausing to think would have been allowed, he could have been able to come up with something,but that way, he got up and handed her over his essay.

She took it, with her eyes looking daggers at him, and placed it on her desk.

Neville noticed a crease between her eyes when she looked at the parchment, but she didn't comment it.

Neville returned to his seat and stared straight forward. He had no idea how long he would be doomed to sit here, but he was determined to show no weakness.

And Carrow probably would have reacted by extending their punishment if he had.

Around him, his classmates scribbled over their parchment. Not soon after he had come to the front, forwarded his essay and returned to his seat. On his way back, his and Neville's eyes met and Seamus rose his eyebrows at him.

Neville tried a sympathetic smile, but got rebuked by Alecto immediately.

'Mr Longbottom,' she said, raising.

He looked at her questioningly.

'Your eyes on me,' she said, 'and only me. No glances.'

Neville nodded. He wished to have exchanged another look with Seamus, but that way he fixed his eyes on his teacher.

Time passed.

One by one, they started returning their papers, and sat down again, staring at the front desk.

Neville wasn't sure how long it had been since he had finished his essay; it surely felt like hours. When they finally had all finished, and Padma Patil, who was the last one to hand her parchment over, had reached her seat again, they all looked at the professor, waiting for permission to leave.

But she seemed to have something different on their mind.

Neville almost asked whether they could leave or not, but in the last second he thought better of it. The others seemed to think along his lines – no one moved.

Like this, they remained. And waited.

A long time.

Neville lost track of how much time passed, or what time was. He tried to distract himself by counting seconds, but he felt how his concentration sank due to his tiredness.

When they where finally dismissed and walked down the corridors, Neville checked the time and noticed they had been in detention for over three hours. It was almost three o'clock in the morning. The entire castle was deserted, and their steps echoed through the walls.

They marched in silent mostly.

When it was time that the Ravenclaws turned right to their common room, they silently mumbled a goodbye, and then walked on.

Seamus who walked in front of Neville and now turned around.

'How much have you written?,' he asked.

Neville shrugged. 'No idea,' he said. 'I handed in the parchment as soon as I ran out of ideas, you?'

'I dunno,' Seamus said, 'maybe a good twenty inches, but I don't think it's any good.'

They turned silent again.

'Blimey, I'm tired,' Parvati said and gave a yawn. Neville nodded gloomily. 'Me, too,' he said. 'At least it's a Sunday tomorrow, luck for us, isn't it?,'

'Yeah,' she said, 'yeah, but honestly, I don't think detentions like this will happen only occasionally... I mean we didn't even misbehave. Thank God we at least have the DA-,'

'Shhh,' Neville said. 'Let's rather not mention it here.'

They had reached the portrait. The fat lady looked at them tiredly.

'Password?,' she mumbled.

'Ludus Scacorum,' Seamus said.

She nodded and swung aside. They climbed in and hurried up to their dormitories. No one felt like lingering longer, they all longed for their beds and sleep.

'Good night,' Neville mumbled as he covered himself with the blanket.

''Night,' Seamus replied.

Neville was asleep in the next couple of minutes, but his dreams didn't leave him alone until it was time to wake up again.

\\*\

When Neville sat on the breakfast table the next morning, his head almost fell down on the plate. In spite of being so tired last night, he had woke up early today. Ginny looked at him.

'How long has she kept you guys?,' she asked.

'Half past three,' Neville mumbled. 'But it could've been worse. She only made us write our essays and left us alone apart from that. I doubt we will find her as peaceful once she's read them, though... At least mine, I've got no idea how the others did.'

Ginny nodded and the next moment, the morning owls arrived, delivering the daily prophet. Ginny caught hers, and Neville glanced at the paper.

She started to read, but soon put it down again.

'I don't have the nerve for this just now,' she sad.

Neville yawned. 'What's in it?,' he asked.

'Stuff about the ministry... Looks like they have arrested Muggleborns for "serious crimes and betrayal". I don't know.'

Neville nodded, put his head between his hands and sighed.

She looked at him. 'You should get some sleep,' she said, 'you look like you needed it.'

'I guess,' he moaned, 'but I got homework to do... And anyway, I figured we could maybe hold a DA meeting today... There's no quidditch practise today, is there?'

'Not for us,' Ginny replied, 'but we have to see about everyone else.' She frowned and looked at him thoughtfully. 'But of the remaining DA no one plays quidditch but me, anyway.'

'I think Michael Corner tried out, though.'

'Oh, yeah, he once said he wanted to play for Hufflepuff.'

'So we'll have to check with them,' Neville said, 'but anyway, how did the tryout go? Have you found any good players?'

She shrugged. 'Yeah, I guess... I mean, it's just a different team than last year... Less flawless. But I guess we could stand a chance.'

She propped her elbows on the table. 'But it's just quidditch, after all,' she said. 'I mean, last year it might have mattered, but this year it really is just a desperate try to get out of the castle once in a while, and do something fun.'

'Which is something we will do with the DA, too,' Neville said, and got up. Then his eyes fell on the prophet.

'D'you think I could borrow this?,' he asked.

She looked at him, and pushed it over the table. 'Sure. I need it back this evening, though.'

Neville nodded, took the paper and stuffed it into his bag.

He decided to go into the library to do some home-work and reading, but noticed soon that here the peaky eyes of the Carrows seemed to follow him wherever he go.

Now he understood why the common room was so crowded lately.

You could barely hang around elsewhere without being watched.


	5. The Cruciatus and the Chains

**Chapter 5: The Cruciatus and the Chains**

The opportunity for a DA meeting didn't come along, though, because when Neville was just about to announce the meeting this night with his galleon, he saw something that made his stomach squirm.

He was walking along the corridor when a classroom door got pushed open. Neville stopped dead.

Again, a first-year, and this time, it was Amycus Carrow who was dragging her, and pushed her into a corner.

The girl looked afraid, and she glanced for a second to Neville.

Then Carrow rose his hand and cuffed her into the face. Neville indistinctly made a step backwards, but didn't leave the scenery.

The girl rose her hand to rub over her burning cheek, but the professor slapped her away.

'Say that again!,' he shouted. 'If you dare!'

She didn't say anything and Carrow kicked her against her leg.

'Say again that I was wrong,' he bellowed, 'and you'll regret it deeply, girl. Now say what I have told you!'

She pressed her lips stiffly together and didn't say anything.

'So?,' snarled Carrow.

She looked up.

'My aunt's no nitwit,' she whispered.

He pulled her up with his arm, and pressed her against the wall. 'She's a muggle!,' he shouted. 'What did you learn muggles are?,'

She shook her head, tears over her face.

Carrow gripped her ear, and dragged her away.

A cry escaped her, but she seemed determined not to give in.

Neville thought such guts in her age admiring.

And this time, he decided, he wouldn't just stand and watch. Inspired by her courage, he touched, encouraging, the little galleon in his pocket, reminded himself he was in Gryffindor and of his parents.

He would not disappoint them.

He ran after Carrow.

'Stop it, fool,' he shouted, a little panting. Carrow looked up, so did the girl. Her ear had coloured red by now, and her eyes widened at Neville.

Carrow frowned.

'What did you just call me?,' he shouted. 'You want to be next, don't you? If you kids think just because you're still in school you can do what the hell you please, you will learn just soon enough that that's no longer happening here!'

Neville's eyes narrowed as the man used his free arm to pack Neville's wrist. He tried to free himself, but the grip was too firm.

'We'll talk, count on it,' Carrow said through gritted teeth.

He pulled them both forward. While the girl already seemed to have given up, Neville was reluctant to let him get through this. He started, restively, to shake him off and started yelling at him.

'Sook!,' he panted. Carrow ignored him, he needed all his strength to pull the two students forward. It was to his luck, and to Neville's misfortune, that, just when he had almost freed himself, Snape came around the corner.

A crease appeared between his eyes when he saw the two students and the struggling Carrow.

'Ah, Snape,' Carrow blew. 'Give me a hand, will you?' He pushed the girl over to the headmaster, who's eyes rested on Neville.

'Certainly,' he said. His voice was cold.

He packed the girl's wrist and led the way to Carrow's office, talking casually to his colleague.

'What have those done?,' he asked.

 _Those,_ Neville thought. One wouldn't think Snape had known him for six years.

'She was of the opinion her thoughts would count more in my classroom than mine,' Carrow said, nodding to the girl.

Then he poked her with her fingers. 'Say I'm right, and you're off,' he snarled. She shook her head reluctantly.

Carrow snorted. 'Silly girl.'

The look on Snape's face showed deep agreement. Then he looked at Neville.

'He thought he'd do good sticking his nose into other people's business,' Carrow said snarlingly. 'He'll pay for it.' He sneered at Neville.

They had reached the office's door, Carrow pushed it open, and looked at Snape.

'Thanks,' he said, 'I can take it from here alone.'

'Maybe I should punish them,' Snape said, his black eyes piercing Neville. 'Trust me, it would be the greatest pleasure to me... And great displeasure for them, no doubt.'

Carrow frowned, packed the girl's arm, and pushed her ruggedly into the room.

'Thanks, Snape,' he said, his voice suddenly colder and sharper, 'but as far as I remember, it was I entrusted with the subject of discipline.'

He smiled at Snape, but it was no gentle smile, and Snape's creased. 'Fine,' he said calmly. His face was unreadable and his voice gloom, but steady. He turned around and walked away, his robes waving after him.

Neville stared as his professor went away.

But the next moment he already got pushed ungentle into the dark office.

'Lumos Maxima,' he heard Carrow say, and the room brightened.

His wand hand outstretched, he pushed Neville to the ground, and pointed his wand on him.

'Incarcerus!'

Neville felt how robes tightened around him; soon he could move no more.

'Stay there, and watch!,' Carrow snarled.

Then he turned to the girl.

'Now,' he said, his voice and his movements dangerously calm. 'One more last chance. Tell me what muggles are like.'

The girl didn't move.

'Answer!,' he said, raising his wand.

She ducked and shook her head.

'You refuse?,' he asked.

She crawled backwards.

Carrow still held out his wand. Now he pointed it straight on her. 'We'll see what there'll be left of you to tell me that you were wrong about muggles,' he said.

Her eyes flashed.

'Crucio,' he hissed.

Neville closed his eyes in dread but opened them immediately again as he heard a loud scream.

The girl had started squirming and cries and tears drew marks over her face. She bowed down on her knees, started rolling on the ground, and cried desperately for help.

'Stop it!,' Neville shouted, not caring about what consequences his behaviour might have. She threw her head backwards, yelled and started begging.

'No, please!,' she cried. 'Stop, please, no more, please!'

Carrow indeed lowered his wand.

She remained lying on the floor, wearily and exhausted.

'What was that?,' Carrow asked. 'You want it to stop?'

The girl nodded in agony.

He glared at her. 'Well, you know what it's for, don't you?,' he asked and rose his wand dangerously again.

'No, please,' she whispered.

He stared and gave her a few seconds, and then he pointed at her relentless. 'No discernment, no issuance,' he said hardly and the next moment she was on the floor again, scrawling and squriming like before, yelling, crying.

She coped with it for a few seconds then started pleading again, this time more desperate. 'Please, make it stop, relieve me, you're right, you're-'

Carrow let go of her. 'Yes?,' he asked. 'Go on.'

She panted. Her voice was shaking as she talked. 'You're right – you know about muggles, I don't. I-'

'What are muggles like?,' Carrow asked enquiringly.

She stared at him, then on his wand. 'They're – they're stupid, slow, and selfish, sir.'

'What are muggles to us?'

She swallowed, her face still full of tears. 'They're vermin, sir.'

'Good girl,' he said coldly. 'You will do well to remember it.'

She nodded and wiped away her tears.

'Go find Alecto Carrow,' Carrow went on, 'tell her what you just told me, and apologize for your ignorance, and see if she sees it fit to ask for a penalty essay.'

The girl nodded, shakingly, and glanced at Neville.

Carrow, too, turned to the boy. 'Now we have time for a little chat, boy,' he said. Then he turned frowningly to the girl. 'What are you still doing here? You're dismissed.'

She nodded hastily, looked at Neville somewhat apologizing and sympathetically and was quickly at the door and out of the room.

The professor looked at Neville.

He glanced loathing at the boy, and with a flicker of his wand he released him of the ropes. Neville breathed out, heavily.

'Now,' Carrow kicked the chair in the direction of Neville. 'Now we will talk, won't we?' His voice was grumpily and Neville had a feeling he might be off less easily as the girl before.

Carrow nodded to the chair.

Slowly Neville raised and sat down, looking into his professor's eyes, determined to show no weakness.

Carrow crossed his arms. He fumbled playfully with the wand in his right hand. It was quiet for a few moments and Neville realised Carrow wasn't talking on purpose to let him experience the tormenting anticipation for the awaiting punishment.

'Tell me,' he then snarled, 'who's in charge of discipline at Hogwarts.'

Neville looked up. 'You,' he said, his voice full of contempt.

Carrow looked at him scornfully. 'Respect, boy,' he bellowed.

Neville merley looked at him, and the next second he felt the man's palm on his cheek, leaving a burning mark, but he surpressed the urge of rubbing over it.

'You will learn some respect boy,' Carrow snarled, 'about time, too. Now address me correctly!'

Neville's eyes where full of despite. 'Yes, sir,' he said before he could help himself.

'Are we making some progress already?' asked Carrow, but Neville thought it wiser to remain silent and gave no answer.

'Obviously not,' Carrow hissed. 'Now, Longbottom, what made you so eager interfering in my jobs? Are you perhaps thinking your opinion is more demanded here than mine?'

Neville gave no answer, and Carrow smacked him again. Neville flinched shortly at the sudden impact.

'Seen your housemate?,' Carrow asked, 'wanna go through the same like all spicy kids?'

Neville bit his lips but did not look to the ground. His eyes stayed fixed on the professor.

'Answer me!,' he yelled, and took out his wand.

Neville frowned but no word escaped his lips.

'Fine!,' Carrow bellowed, 'you go and call me a fooling stock, and you'll see where it gets you! Crucio!'

Neville's body felt as if it might explode, there was no more thinking about keeping quiet, the only thing he considered right now was reducing of the pain, or no, actually, he didn't really consider anything any more.

He screamed so loud he thought someone must hear him, as the pain kept penetrating his body, he squirmed and shrieked, and then, out of sudden, when tears had already started flooding and his mouth was exhausted, it all stopped, and he had the feeling his demands had finally been heard. And acknowledged.

For the first moment, he couldn't even look up to see why it had stopped. He reamained lying on the floor, lying at Carrow's feet, when his eyes and brain finally started working and he noticed the door had been pushed open, by no other, than the black-robed headmaster.

He frowned at the boy at the ground.

Carrow looked him in the eyes and did not pocket his eyes. 'Snape,' he said, his voice calm and maybe a little bit exhausted. 'Is this important? I am rather busy right now... Or did you come by seeing if I have problems fulfilling my duty?'

He stepped over Neville's body as if he wasn't there to look Snape into the eyes.

'Are you maybe of the impression I couldn't handle what I am to do? You may notice yourself, Severus, that I have got everything more than under control.'

He indeed sounded more than satisfied with his work.

'Certainly,' Snape said. 'Your... _work_ is inspiring.' He paused to look at Neville on the ground, and they exchanged a glance before Snape turned his gaze to the Dark Art's teacher again. 'However,' he said, 'I am afraid you will have to carry on later.'

'Why is that, Snape?,' snapped Carrow.

Snape frowned. 'A matter that can, I am afraid, not wait.'

He raised his hand and pointed unobtrusively on his arm.

Carrow's voice changed at once. 'Ah, well,' he said, pocketing his wand. 'I will follow you in your office, then?'

Snape nodded, staring over his shoulder. 'If I may make a suggestion, being headmaster here,' he said dryly, 'we should take this student downstairs into the dungeons, having him chained up... Leave him down there the night, that'll be penalty enough while we're... busy.'

Carrow seemed to consider for a moment, and nodded then. 'And not able to do his studies down there, he won't be,' he sneered. 'More trouble, for him, but I daresay more than deserved.'

Snape blinked. 'You read along my lines, Amycus.'

'Very well, Snape,' Carrow said, 'I will accompany him down there.'

'Actually,' Snape said, 'you are required rather urgently, _now_. You already go and see what's to be done, I will take care of the boy.'

Carrow nodded. 'Thanks, Snape,' he said, and hurried out of the office.

Snape glanced after him for a moment and then bent down to Neville.

'Get up, boy,' he snarled. 'What are you waiting for?' He packed Neville's arm and pulled him upwards. 'As dumb as you where when you just came at Hogwarts,' he sneered. 'At least hurry up now, d'you think I got all day?'

He dragged him outside.

Neville's legs were still shaking, and hadn't he been so exhausted from the Cruciatus, maybe he would've said something to Snape, but that way, he let him carry downstairs.

He wasn't sure whether he was relieved or aggravated by the fact they didn't meet anyone of their classmates.

Snape didn't say a single word to Neville on the way down, and Neville couldn't help but noticing it. It didn't suit the professor, compared to his usual attitude, but maybe the fact he was dragging him to chain him up in the dungeons was already enough satisfaction for the man.

And why would it bother Neville what was going on in Snape's face? That man was a maniac, from what he knew about him.

Snape pushed a door open, and hurried inside.

'Accio,' he said coldly and started putting the chain around Neville's wrist. When he had finished, he pushed the boy to the ground.

'There,' he said. 'And you'd better be quiet, one sound of you and you will regret it... deeply.'

Then he almost turned around, but for a moment he paused to look into Neville's face, and Neville, looking into his dark eyes, in the dark light, saw them flash for a moment. But then Snape blinked, whirled around, and left the room, smashing the door behind him.

Everything got dark. Neville had underestimated the fact that he wouldn't be sitting in an enlightened room, and he felt how the coldness gave him chills. If it was the cold of the room.

Still, he wasn't tortured any more. That at least was something he could Snape be thankful for. Although he shouldn't be too praising now, who knew what awaited him later.

And how Carrow had nicely put it, he would indeed be in trouble for his homework... Well, he had finished with Muggle Studies, at least, and he didn't think that professor Sprout would be going crazy if he didn't hand in his work for herbology, but he had not yet started with Dark Arts, and Neville had no doubt his professor would find a fine penalty for that.

Neville sighed, and closed his eyes. If he would have been able to get hold of his galleon, it was still reachable in the pocket, he could have alerted the DA, and maybe they could've figured out something, but he couldn't move his hands properly. Besides, Neville would rather sit here an entire week than getting the others involved with this.

Maybe he had underestimated the Carrows when he had suggested to reinstate the DA. Maybe they didn't stand a chance.

Maybe they should give up. If the Carrows were ready to crucio everyone that walked along their way, maybe it wasn't the best idea to stand up to them.

But then Neville considered the thinking, and thought that that was what courage was. Not giving in. Even if it was hard, even if, maybe, it was stupid.

Courage is more than being brave, it is love when there is no one loving and shout when there is no one listening.

Even if it was exhausting. Very, indeed. And even if it let you end up being chained up in a dungeon. _But perhaps this was just proving what he had done. Make it feel real._

Over his thoughts, he fell asleep.

\\*\

When he woke up, things were just as dark as before, and the room seemed even colder than before. He tried to put his arms around his knees but had to notice he wasn't able to – thanks to the chains.

He had no idea what time it was, how long he had been asleep. In here was no window, no light. He had no wand and his eyes still hadn't got used to the darkness.

He put his head on his legs and closed his eyes, maybe trying to sleep again, after all, what was there to be done in here, when he heard someone knocking at the door.

He jumped and stared straight forward.

'Hello?,' he heard a voice whisper. Neville frowned.

'Neville, are you in there?'

He thought he recognized Ginny's voice.

'Yes,' he whispered back breathlessly.

Someone rattled at the handle.

'Forget it, the door's locked,' Neville said gloomily.

'So I noticed,' Ginny said, 'we've already tried Alohomora, too. Listen, Neville, Luna saw you dragged away by Snape. What happened?'

'Can't tell you that now,' he retorted. 'Just get yourselves away from here. If Snape or any of the Carrows see you, they'll go wild.'

'They can't lock you in,' Ginny said, 'Neville, that's why we got the DA, isn't it, it's that simple -'

'No,' Neville said, 'it's not. Look, we'll talk later, okay? There's not point in getting you into trouble, too.'

Ginny mumbled something incomprehensible, and then said a bit louder. 'Okay, Neville, whatever you say. If you're not in the common room by tonight, Luna and I will drop by and-'

'You don't got to,' Neville said, 'if I understood them correctly, they'll leave me here 'til tomorrow morning, anyway. So don't expect me to show up that early.'

'Oh,' Ginny said, 'but... they can't... I mean, what have you done?'

Neville rubbed with his hand over his nose. 'Look, it's hard to explain through a wooden door. I'll see you tomorrow, and we'll discuss it then. Believe me, I won't just let this unremembered but now isn't the time.'

There was a moment of silence.

'Okay,' Ginny then said quietly. 'Tomorrrow. We will still come and check for you later.'

Neville didn't object. The thought of them returning was calming him down a bit. He didn't like the thought of getting them themselves in trouble, but he didn't like the thought being left here alone for the entire rest of the evening, either. Their visit might just be a glance of hope.

'Okay,' he said, 'just be careful, will you? There is a good chance they'll be sneaking around.'

'Yes,' said Ginny. 'See you then.'

'See you,' he mumbled.

When it got silent on the other side of the door again, and Neville had sat on the floor for another couple of minutes, he already regretted having sent her away so quickly. And he hadn't even asked for the time.

Who knew how long it still was to the evening.

Who knew if Ginny and Luna would be able to sneak down here.

And then he thought about who it was all down to, who's fault it was how things were going now at Hogwarts, that they had lost Dumbledore and that there were no parents who encouraged him with what he was doing.

And that moment, he put himself up to a fight of resistance.

The DA would brace itself.

It would be something Harry would do, he thought, before he let his thoughts get carried back to the time of lucky childhood and his first years at Hogwarts.

It seemed to take ages til his friends arrived in front of the room again. He had already thought they hadn't been able to get passed Snape and the Carrows, but then he heard the knock and Luna's voice.

'Neville?'

'Still here,' he mumbled back.

'This is so cruel,' Luna said, 'I-'

'Listen, Harry, we've met Carrow on the stairs,' Ginny said.

'What?'

'Yeah, yeah, and maybe he's on his way down here, so we'll clear off. We just thought we'd better drop by shortly, just so we checked.'

'Are you alright?,' asked Luna.

'Yes,' he whispered, 'yes, but you'd better get going... No, wait, what time is it no?'

'Half past eight,' Ginny whispered back, and then he heard their steps moving away from the door. Neville leaned his head against the wall and hoped they wouldn't get into trouble. That they wouldn't get caught.

Heavy steps drew nearer. Neville started biting on his lip. Then, he heard someone fumbling at the door, and it got pushed open.

The sudden, bright light of the corridor and Carrow's wand made him blink a few times.

Carrow crossed his arms. 'I'll give you a choice,' he snarled, 'do you want to stay here all night?'

Neville shook his head a little bit.

Carrow made a step forward. 'Then apologize and show some respect. Do you know who I am?'

Neville didn't give an answer.

'Fine,' growled Carrow. He made a step backwards, and was about to close the door. 'No dinner,' he said, 'let's see if time won't tenderise you.' With those words, he closed the door shut.

And Neville sat in the darkness again. He stared at the point where the light had been, and closed his eyes.

One night.

It would only be for one night.

He had been told when he was younger that he should stand up for people.

Surely, that hadn't changed.

Teachers, and students, and rules, they may change, but values and friends, they would never be fragile. He hoped.

Sitting in the darkness he thought that although light had been brought over him for a couple of moments, it was always important who carried the light; not how bright it was.


	6. True Hogwarts fighting back

**Chapter 6: True Hogwarts fighting back**

He got released the next day. It was, to his surprise, not Carrow, but again Snape who opened the door. He flickered his wand easily, and Neville was freed.

Snape turned around and let Neville walk out of the room. Before Neville stormed off, though, he packed his arm and forced him to look him into his face.

Neville stared at the man. There was something in his eyes Neville couldn't quite read.

'Be warned, Longbottom,' Snape hissed. 'You may have got of cheaply this time, but be sure that the Carrows do not tolerate your behaviour – and nor do I.'

Neville looked at the professor. Snape didn't scare him the way he had maybe done a few years ago or so, but he surely was daunted by the glance.

At the same time he wondered whether Snape had just made clear that his "punishment" was over now. A part of him had feared to have to face another torture perhaps.

He nodded slowly. 'Yes, sir,' he said, trying to free his arm.

Snape let him go, and Neville hurried down the corridor. When he was around the corner, he ran up the stairs, away from Snape, the dungeons.

He didn't see how his old teacher's eyes where resting on him, even when he had faded from view.

\\*\

Neville met the others in the great hall. Ginny and Seamus were sitting next to each other. Ginny turned to Neville as she saw him. Her face was pale.

'Neville!'

Seamus, too, looked at him in relief. Neville figured Ginny must've told him about what had happened yesterday. 'You alright, mate?,' he asked.

Neville nodded tiredly and set down.

Ginny pushed over some bread. 'Here, you must be starving.'

'Thanks,' he mumbled, and started to eat.

'We've worried about you last night,' Ginny said. 'It must've been cold, wasn't it? Down in the dungeons?'

'I guess,' Neville said, reminding himself uncomfortably of the night. 'Listen, we'll talk later, okay? With Luna. It's Dark Arts for me in the first period and I would like to have some time before I need to see Carrow again.

Ginny nodded sympathetically. 'Yeah, sure,' she said. 'Later. See you, Neville.'

Neville got up, and Seamus looked at him. 'Look, Neville,' he said, 'I've finished your Dark Arts essay yesterday. It lay on the desk, and I figured... since you were busy...'

He didn't go an. Neville stared at him blankly. 'Are you serious?'

Seamus shrugged. 'Yeah,' he said, 'I mean, it's no good, probably... But better than nothing, isn't it?'

Neville nodded. 'Wow, thank you, Seamus. I owe you.'

'Don't mention it,' Seamus said, 'I'm sure you would've done the same for me. See you in the lesson.' He got up and went away.

Neville looked after him. 'See you,' he mumbled, and then hurried into the common room, to get his things, thinking that he was after all lucky, being blessed with friends.

\\*\

He arrived latest in Dark Arts, because he had quickly copied the essay Seamus had written for him so Carrow wouldn't get too suspicious.

To his relief, when he entered the room, the teacher was not yet there. He sat down next to Seamus and quickly got his book out of his bag, placing them on the table when their professor opened the classroom door, marched down the classroom to his desk.

'Zabini, close the door,' he said. Blaise got up at once. Neville glanced at Carrow. It was the first time they met since last evening.

Carrow's eyes rested on him for a moment, with a sneering look on his face, then he turned to the rest of the class.

'Take out your homework.'

Neville placed his parchment in front of himself, and was more than relieved he had something to show Carrow, who now patrolled through the classroom to check their homework. He stopped at Neville's table and blinked as he saw his essay. Neville watched his face. Carrow didn't say anything, he turned around and while walking, he spoke.

'Volunteers to read out?'

No one's hand reached in the air. Carrow turned around and glared at the classroom. 'No one?'

His eyes wandered around, creating a squirming suspense and silent in the entire room, for nobody wanted to hear his name out of Carrow's mouth.

He took himself time.

Then his eyes rested on Neville, and Neville knew at once who Carrow was going to pick, who he'd always planned on picking.

'Longbottom.'

He straightened himself. 'Yes, sir?,' he asked, his tone innocent.

'You know, what,' he snapped. 'Read out.'

Neville nodded, didn't glance at Seamus for a single second, cleared his throat and picked up his parchment.

Now he was glad he had skipped breakfast for copying it, because he wouldn't have been able to read Seamus' scribbling, and also, because now he knew what it was all about.

His voice trembled a bit, but when he had finished he thought that it was unlikely that Carrow would suspect Seamus to have written it.

When he looked up and saw the teacher's expression, he thought that his teacher would find something to criticise anyway.

He noted something on his desk for so long, Neville almost spoke out.

Then he looked up again.

'Longbottom, at which year were the curses you described so,' he coughed, 'nicely in your essay, invented again?'  
Neville looked down on his parchment.

'Erm,' he said.

Carrow frowned, and scribbled something down. Neville felt himself blushing.

'And by whom?,' his teacher asked.

Neville bit his lip.

'Yes?,' Carrow asked, crossing his arms. The entire classroom had turned silent.

'Erm, I forg-,' Neville began.

'Enough of this!,' Carrow smashed his quill on his desk. 'Is anyone else incapable of answering my question?'

No one moved.

'Longbottom,' he said scornfully, 'are you sure you have done your homework and read the chapter in your book?'

Neville did his best effort not to blink. 'Yes, sir.'

'You're sure you haven't merely copied your homework by someone else this morning?'

Neville didn't lower his gaze. 'Yes, sir.'

'Well,' Carrow said in a dangerous voice. 'It's as easy to check, isn't it? Everyone their essay to me desk, now.'

They quickly got up and handed in their essays. Some looked confused, Seamus glanced at Neville a little bit worried.

Neville was tormenting his lip. Hopefully Seamus had written his essay different from the one he had given to Neville, or they'd be in trouble, both of them.

Calmly, Carrow looked over one essay after the other. Neville's heart was pounding very fast now.

He watched his teacher and exchanged nervous glance with Seamus. Finally, Carrow had finished with the pile.

'Very well,' he snapped. '50 points from Gryffindor for being unprepared, Longbottom, and ten off for your terrible handwriting.'

Neville breathed out in relief. Losing points didn't have the air of a penalty any more. Like something like the House Cup mattered. Of course, he didn't tell Carrow that. He was more than glad he hadn't been appointed with detention.

The lesson proceeded, and to his utter surprise Neville was mostly left alone for the rest of the day. He had no idea how he came by that, but undoubtedly he was happy with it.

\\*\

'Thanks, Seamus,' he muttered as they were walking down the staircases. 'You saved me today.'

'No problem,' Seamus said. 'But it's time to set something up with the DA, don't you think?'

Neville nodded gloomily. 'Definitely, it's already overdue. And before I get busy again,' he went into a silent corner and took one of his galleons out. He arranged the new date.

'What time?,' Seamus asked.

'One o'clock,' Neville replied. 'Later than I'd like to, but I feel like the later the night, the safer for us.'

Seamus nodded. 'I'll be there,' he promised.

Neville nodded and stopped in front of the common room.

'Ludus Scacorum.'

It was time to not get yourself beaten to the ground. They'd stand up.

Neville had stayed awake the entire evening. After having spent an entire night in the dungeons, his bed felt welcomingly warm, but he was careful not to close his eyes.

Finally, it was half past twelve. A quarter to. Five minutes to go.

He got up silently, woke Seamus and left the common room.

While his way on the corridor, he kept looking over his shoulder, but the corridor was deserted. He was careful not to lit up his wand, and almost stumbled over a small, moving, body. A very alive body, that squeaked now.

'Mrs Norris,' he said through gritted teeth. Cursing silently, he walked faster, and even more quiet and hoped the cat wouldn't alarm the caretaker. Out of breath, he reached the wall that hid the room, and closed his eyes.

 _I need you to become the DA's headquarters... A place where they cannot find us, Snape, and the Carrows..._

When he opened his eyes again, the door had appeared. Glancing around to all sides, and to the ground, checking that no one was watching him, he entered.

And the room greeted him back warmly.

He didn't have to wait very long for the other's arrival. Seamus was the first to join him, and soon the others followed.

Ginny and Luna were the last one.

Luna smiled at Neville. 'Hello, DA,' she said, 'we thought we'd better linger around a little longer to make sure no one would notice.'

Neville nodded, and looked around. 'Was anyone seen?,' he asked. 'Or did you have the feeling someone might follow you?'

Everyone shook their heads.

'Good,' Neville said, and groaned a slightly bit. 'I was, though. Mrs. Norris was snooping around, but I don't think Filch or any one else was close by, so hopefully no one knows.'

He took a deep breath. 'I mean, no one can come in here anyway,' he said, more to himself than to anyone else.

'Well, we all know why we're here,' he started. 'If no one else has anything to suggest, I have been thinking a bit and -'

'Hold on,' Luna said. Neville looked up. The wide smile had not left her face. 'What about the Nargles?,' she asked. 'Because -'

'Oh, yeah,' Neville said, 'yeah, I almost forgot about that. Well, just so everyone knows we – well, Luna, actually had the idea -'

'No, wait,' she said. 'I was just going to tell you. We don't really got the chance to come by them. My father has been writing me this week and he mentioned that trusting sources tell him that new studies have revealed that Nargles might not live in Europe any more after all. They are all-clearing the dread of them.'

Everyone stared at her.

'Ah, well,' Neville said a little hopelessly, 'good then, though not so good for our plan. Well, anyway, if no one else wants to say something?'

No one spoke.

'Okay,' Neville said, 'I've been thinking,' he started again, 'and I figured that, with all what the Carrows are up to – and Snape – and it's all pretty horrible, but I think the worst thing is to pretend there has never been a different time. I mean,' he took a deep breath, 'it's our Hogwarts! And we're not the only ones who can memorize its good days – and I think we should hold on to it, not getting it let stamped down.' He thought for a moment. 'I mean, that's what the hat sang when term began, isn't it? We need to protect what means a lot to us.' He paused, and looked around the room.

'Yes,' Ginny said helpfully, 'yes, I think that's true. We shouldn't get the Carrows get us down. But what are you suggesting?'

Neville hesitated. 'Well,' he said, 'I think we shouldn't hide ourselves... I mean, of course, we don't want to get caught, but we shouldn't hide what we are standing for. What's important to us. And if we spread our thoughts – maybe others will agree, and they will see that there is something beyond the Carrows – and that there's hope. Maybe.'

Ginny nodded, and so did the others.

'People only see the Carrows,' Cho said approvingly, 'we need to show everyone that they are not the only ones. We need to speak out.'

'My words,' Neville said, and gave her a smile.

She smiled back.

'But now we need an idea what we're actually _doing_ ,' Ginny said. 'Or the night is out and we have done nothing but talk.'

They got silent. Neville thought hardly.

Luna was gazing around the room. 'It's simple, isn't it?,' she said dreamily. They looked at her. 'We want to tell everyone that there's us. That we don't stand behind You-Know-Who.'

'Yes,' said Seamus, 'yes, but that's why we're -'

'But why aren't we just doing that?,' Luna interrupted him as if he hadn't spoken. 'Let's tell them.'

Neville frowned.

She turned to him, smiling. 'You remember when the chamber of secrets was opened?,' she asked patiently.

Neville nodded in confusion.

'It's curious, isn't it,' she said, 'how a message on the wall had got the entire school on their feet. Everyone talked about it. I remember it, it was my first year.'

'Yeah, mine too,' Ginny said, squirming a little. 'But I don't quite get -'

'It's obvious, don't you think?,' she asked, beaming. 'Messages on the wall...'

\\*\

The DA was on their feet, and they ran down the corridor. Neville was walking right at the front, s constantly checking if someone was around the corner, while Ginny concealed the end of the group. Luna was leading their way through the corridor.

'Okay,' Neville whispered as they were coming to a stand. 'Look-outs, take your place.'

Cho, the Patil twins, Michael Corner and ... were taking their place at the corners.

Neville turned to everyone else. 'Okay,' he whispered, 'we'll get started now, everybody on their place.'

They nodded. Neville, who wasn't the best with spells, made a step backwards to let them carry out the deed and joined the others who made sure no one was coming this way. 'Go!', he whispered.

They rose their wands. Luna had shown them the proper spell and they had been discussing a little while about what to spray and in which colour. In the end, they had agreed on Parvati's idea, and Seamus had suggested to be using all the colours of a rainbow. They had agreed on that finally.

The spell may be simple, but the effect was awesome. They worked in quiet, and fast, and only a few minutes later the shining letters burned on the wall:

 _DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY - the true Hogwarts fights back_

Seamus, who had turned out as a very good drawer, and outlined the Carrows' face beneath the writing. Neville grinned, for the first time in days for real. 'Great work, guys. Really.'

They grinned all at one another.

They hadn't done anything,. They hadn't been fighting. They had nothing won. They hadn't had any success. There were still the Carrows, and Snape, and actually, nothing had changed. But they were together. And they fought for themselves.

That was the spirit they needed.

Neville and the others reached their common rooms safely, and Neville couldn't believe their luck. Not only had they managed to get to the room of requirement add back without anyone noticing, and in addition to that also walking around in the corridors with no one noticing them, they had actually finally done something. Tomorrow, when the school was awake, everyone would be seeing their writing. Neville couldn't wait.

When he lay in his warm bed again, he thought for a moment, thinking about whether it wasn't foolish what they had done.

Great risk for no improvement.

But no, he thought. Whatever risk they had taken, this was worth it. He could feel it.

And with this thought, he fell asleep, happily, and planned on writing his grandma tomorrow.

Neville woke up the next day because he got shook by Seamus.

'Neville,' he whispered. 'Wake up.'

Neville blinked. 'What is it?,' he mumbled. He had maybe slept for two hours.

'Neville, it's done. They've seen it.'

Neville got up, and rubbed over his eyes, looking at Seamus who looked uncertain.

'The entire school is to gather in the great hall,' he said. 'So you'd better come, if they find out you're asleep, they maybe get suspicious.'

Neville nodded and got up, quickly. Suddenly he was awake, very awake. 'Hurry up,' Seamus urged. They ran down the stairs and joined the other students. On his way Neville spotted some of the DA, but he did not speak to them; the less suspiciously they behaved, the better. For a second he dreaded the Carrows may know, that they somehow found out who was responsible for the scrawl on the walls, and if they would be in trouble, it would be his fault, because he had talked them into it.

The tables had been moved away in the great hall. Students were standing, one by one, in a row. Neville and Seamus joined the Gryffindors and ended up next to Ginny, who's eyes where fixed straight forward.

Then they heard heavy steps and some students started mumbling as the Carrows marched through the rows, reaching the end of the great hall. At the right corner, where the teacher's table had been, the other teachers stood. Neville didn't see McGonagall's face.

The Carrows crossed their arms and stood before the mass, but didn't say a word.

Then the door got pushed open again, and Snape was the one walking into the great hall. His face was steady and his eyes fixed. He did not look at a single student. The mumbling had ceased at once when Snape had entered the halls. The only thing audible where his steps, echoing through the castle.

Snape reached the end of the long hall, turned around to his students and Neville couldn't help feeling as if he'd been thrown back to the start of term when Snape had informed them about the new school rules.

His eyes rested on the students, and it took him a long pause of hesitation before he started to speak. 'Students,' he said. His voice was absolutely the only sound in the entire hall. It was as if no one even dared to breath.

Their had never been an occasion during Dumbledore's times when the entire school had to gather in the great hall.

Snape didn't seem to even look at the students. His eyes were fixed straight forward in such a straight way, Neville felt the desire to turn around to the door.

'Who would have thought,' Snape now said calmly, 'that only two weeks after I have greeted you back we would be standing here because students did not pay attention to what I have said.' He paused, but his eyes did not change. 'If any of you would have happened to pass the corridor on the second floor, right wing, you will have noticed an effrontery I cannot put into words.

'Whoever is responsable for the scratching on walls,' he said, 'will come forward now, and right now, and that student will be dealt with accordingly.

'There are students in this hall who know excactly who I am talking to,' Snape said, 'and they would save themselves a ... certain amount of trouble if they come forward freely and I do not have to take care of the matter myself.'

Now, he loosened his gaze a little and look around, resting on some Gryffindors. He waited several moments.

'Anyone in here,' he said, his voice more quiet and more dangerous now, 'feeling affiliated to a group that has called itself Dumbledore's Army, this student will present himself.

'Instancely.'

But no one made a single step.

Snape looked around. 'Be aware,' he snarled, 'that we have measures to find out what we need to know, and it will be no good if we have to search ourselves.'

With those words, he stormed off. After he had left the hall, the atmosphere seemed to relax itself a little, and students started wishpering.

The only ones that remained quiet, was the DA.

'There's something I don't get, though,' Neville said, when he finally had the oppertunity to talk to Ginny and Luna. 'Snape was here when we found Dumbledore's Army. He knows the term and the group from that Umbridge hag, doesn't he? Why didn't he report us?'

'I dunno,' Ginny said, 'maybe he's forgotten.'

Neville snorted. 'Yeah, right.'

She shrugged. 'No idea, maybe he lost the list and wasn't sure about the names...'

'He still would know some names,' Neville said. 'Or at least a brief idea. No one can be that forgetful without a memory charm placed on you.'

'Maybe that's what happened,' Luna said, looking up. 'In the end Snape is no bad guy at all, just being meddled with and now he can't control his actions and thoughts -'

'Luna, please,' Ginny said annoyed. Then she turned to Neville who frowned at her harshness.

'I know it seems unlikely,' she said slowly, 'but after all that's been going on... perhaps he has forgotten indeed... The better for us...'

But then Neville stopped dead, and stared at Ginny and Luna.

'What?,' asked Giny.

'I just thought,' he said slowly, 'maybe... Maybe he hasn't forgotten it at all. Maybe he wants to push us to the edge, have us doing very bad stuff so he can "punish us accordingly" - maybe he's hoping 'til then we'd have recruited more members, so he would get us all at once. I mean, if he had all rebels out of his school at once, that would help them spreading their ideas, wouldn't it? Maybe that's their plan, after all... Waiting to get us all in.'

Ginny looked at her nervously. 'You think so?,'she asked doubting.

He shrugged. 'I have got no idea,' he admitted. 'I mean, it seems like an odd kind of plan... But why wouldn't he remember our names? Or why didn't it occur him to use Veritaserum, that's what Umbridge did.'

'Maybe he doesn't want to impersonate anything from Umbridge,' Luna said thoughtfully, 'I mean, he loathed her...'

'Yeah,' said Neville, 'yeah, but it makes no sense, still. He's a potions master, for heaven's sake. Why wouldn't he use Veritaserum? Besides, You-Know-Who is befriending with the ministry, isn't he? Perhaps Snape's dislike on Umbridge was just feigned... Like everything else. And they're actually best pals – I mean, he loves the Carrows and if I didn't know better I'd say they're somehow related.'

'We don't know,' Ginny said, 'we just don't know. But we'd better be careful.'

\\*\

But it wasn't only Snape who saw it fitting to lecture the students. In Muggle studies, professor Carrow held a long, verbose speech about the misbehaviour and what she saw fit do to with the 'brats' responsable. From what Neville saw, she was the only one paying attention to what she said; everyone else was either gazing out of the window or quickly doing their homework, glad for the unhoped oppertunity to catch up with it.

When their teacher had finished, though, he noticed their lack of attention at once and was equally vexed.

'Miss Patil,' she snapped and glanced at the tiwns. 'And the other Miss Patil, as well. Put your quills down and bring me your essay – I will grade them to see what you're capable of when you are not doing what you're supposed to do.'

They exchanged an unhappy look, but Neville was mostly relieved that the professor didn't start asking questions, like, about their night-time activities.

But then again, rebellion was only ever rebellion if you didn't get coaxed. Surely things would get tougher soon.

\\*\

'So I hope no one of you had a rough time because of what's been going on last night,' Neville started, and looked around.

They all looked a little bit tired and exhausted, and less spiritive than the night before, but Neville couldn't blame them; after all, they all had barely slept.

'However,' Ginny said, 'I don't think we should get us let down, because that's just what they want to... They don't have our names -'

'Hopefully,' Neville interrupted. She looked up at him.

'Hopefully they don't have our names,' Neville said, and turned to the rest of the room. 'We all now that Umbridge discovered our list – and Snape saw some of us in her office when they caught us – so it is likely he knows who's behind it.' He sat down. 'Maybe we shouldn't have written "Dumbledore's Army". We should have stayed anonymus...'

'No,' said Luna, 'No, I think it's good we made clear which side we're on – anyway, if Snape hasn't reported us yet, we can assume he either forgot about the DA or – well...'

Neville snorted. 'That's what I mean. He isn't that thick that he'd forget. And there is no other way he doesn't know anymore, so -'

'So, it doesn't matter!,' Seamus said, jumping up. Neville, Luna and Ginny looked at him.

'Yes, it does,' emphasized Neville. 'He-'

'No, listen,' Seamus interrupted him, 'just say that Snape knows – he hasn't reported us yet, has he? Why would that change? And even if he wanted to wait ... for whatever reason that may be, it doesn't really matter how much skeleton we got in the closet by then. If he wanted to throw us out, he could do that by the thing we did yesterday, and if not, we don't need to care.'

Neville stared blankly at him. Seamus was making so much sense, but it was so... daring.

The rest of the room nodded, though, and Neville gave in, a bit reluctantly. 'Okay,' he said, 'let's forget the old bat. I'd say, same time, same place tonight, what d'you think?'

They nodded in agreement at him from all sides, but Ginny frowned, and looked around. 'I understand you're eager for it, and everything, guys – I am, too – but I am not sure if it is so wise if we meet every single night. Surely the Carrows will be controling way more strictly than yesterday. If they have had one day of peace, we don't need to be that careful. Besides, we are all tired. It's too risky we might make a misstake.' She hesitated. 'Let's take one night a break.' He looked at Neville, who nodded thoughtfully.

'Yes,' he said, 'yes, I guess you got a point... So it's tomorrow, everyone. Tomorrow night here, at one o'clock.'

The others nodded and left. Neville smiled at her. 'Good thinking,' he said. 'You're right. We must be careful.'

Ginny nodded and gazed vaguely around.

'I know nothing can replace him,' Neville said quietly, 'but the three of us are almost as good as Harry, don't you think?'

Ginny shrugged and looked away.

'At least I'll have time for quidditch practise after a good night's sleep tonight,' she said, and her mouth formed a little smile.

\\*\

Indeed, when they all met two nights later, everyone looked fresher and ready for another go. This time, they were careful to be even more careful with where they were going, and Neville's heart was pounding very heavily and fast.

He had been awake the last night, and left the common room to have a check if they are severed the security around the corridor. Indeed, he had seen the Carrows patrolling. Therefore, he had decided they'd better choose another corridor tonight, and now they were on their way towards the great hall. They had argued a long time whether such a central place would be wise to spray at, but Neville had persuaded the others that, the more central, the more people would see that they weren't giving up. Hope had to be spread.

The Carrows and Snape had needed the entire two days to get rid of their first scribbling. Luna had been very inventive and had managed to make the colour resistant to most spells. In stead, you had to use water – a common, Muggle solution, Luna had been right to think, was beneath the Carrows. After the what had to be the seventieth spell, they had ordered Filch to take care of it, who, in the end had cleared the wall with water. It had been hilarious to see the Carrow's grudge against the fact that a squib was capable of getting rid of the magic, while they weren't – but it had been less hilarious to sit in one of their classes that day, because they were driven to their very edge and shouted at practically everyone for absolutely no reason.

Again, they placed lookouts at each corner. Ginny's idea had proven itself to be prudent – the corridors here were not watched any more, and they could work, at least at the beginning, in peace and quiet.

Everyone was a little bit more used to the magic now, and they finished even quicker than the other night. And just in time, when Luna had just cast her spell to reject magical spells on the colour, Michael Corner turned around, and made a frantic movement with his hand. Quickly, and silently, they entered the great hall, and, out of instinct, hid quickly under the house tables.

Obviously, that was a poor hiding place, and it was neither uncomfortable.

Neville looked around nervously. 'What now?,' he whispered.

Ginny bent to him. 'Listen,' she whispered. 'Luna and I will distract them, and you'll lead the others straight out of the castle, to Hagrid's hut. Depending on the circumstances, we will join you or return to the dormitories – or hide elsewhere. We got the galleons, we can communicate.'

With those words, she crawled away from the table.

'Hey!,' Neville protested. 'Hold on!'

But she shook her head. 'Don't worry,' she said, and placed her finger on her mouth.

Luna got up and waved at Neville. 'See you,' she said in a muted voice. And then they left the hall. Neville got sick by the thought what might happen out their. They listened. The first seconds, nothing happened, and then they heard a loud, angry scream and shouting. Then running steps were audible, and smashing sounds.

Neville swallowed. He would have liked to know what Luna and Ginny had done, but of course, if their effort should be any good, he and the others needed to get out of here. He waved at them and quickly, they left the hall through the side door.

Outside, they all took a deep breath. Neville turned to the castle, then he started to hurry. 'C'mon, guys,' he whispered. 'Fast, down here.'

It was a good thing he had already been down in the forest quiet often and knew the way by heart, because it was dark and not a single light to be seen.

They started running, and Neville trembled several time over his feet, until they reached the hut.

Neville turned around a last time to see if no one was there, then he knocked heavily at the wooden door.

Frantic, he hammered loudly, wondering if Hagrid was already asleep and if so, if he would wake up. But then a candle lit up inside, and Hagrid pushed the door open.

'Who's there?,' he growled, and looked down on the DA. 'Oh,' he grumbled. 'It's yeh lot.'

Neville nodded. 'Erm, could we get in?'

'All of yeh? In me house?' He frowned. 'Well, get inside, it'll be poky, but I reckon yeh don't care for comfort, do yeh?'  
Neville shook his head, and Hagrid let them enter. Indeed, inside the hut, it was very little space for all of them, not only because Hagrid already seemed to fill a third of the available space. Somehow, they all squeezed themselves inside, though, and Hagrid closed the door.

Neville breathed out. There was no way the Carrows would suspect them here. Now he only had to hope Ginny and Luna were okay.

'Yeh know,' Hagrid chuckled, 'when I told yeh to drop by for tea I was actually talking about yeh visiting me at day, not night.'

Neville was surprised by his good mood. 'Sorry,' he said, 'we kind of needed … a place. May it be for a coup of tea.'

Hagrid smiled, and indeed conjured some water to make warm for them.

'Now,' Hagrid said, and lit up a fire with his umbrella, 'what is yeh lot up to? Gotn't yehself in trouble, have yeh?'

Neville frowned. 'One could say that,' he said.

'Ah, well,' Hagrid said, 'Dumbledore's Army, that's yeh, isn't it. Yeah, I've heard about that alright. Carrows told me I should talk to me students. Tell 'em they'd have to expect worse than detention if it came out it was 'em. Like I'd do that. Damn brave, that was. Didn't tell Carrow that, o'course, I want teh stay here.'

'Yeah,' Neville said, 'yeah, it's been us, us here, and Ginny and Luna.'

'So yeh haven' got yerself pushed down by the lot.'

'D'you think that's bad?,' Neville asked.

Hagrid smashed his cup on the table. 'Bad?,' he shouted, and coughed. 'The hell I think it's bad. Blimey, Neville, if there is one thing I have been happy about since Dumbledore's died...'

He swallowed and paused.

'Great man, Dumbledore,' he said. 'Great man. Good thing yeh're his army. The world needs yeh lot.'

'Thanks, Hagrid,' Neville said, suddenly feeling way better.

'We've sprayed something else tonight,' he started to explain. 'But Carrow came when we had just finished.'

'He didn't see yeh, did he?,' Hagrid asked.

'I think not,' Neville said, 'well, except for Ginny and Luna...' He told about them holding him off.

'Ron's sister,' Hagrid said amused, 'well, it runs in the family, doesn't it? Where have yeh left 'em?'

Neville bit his lips. 'I got no idea. We saved the rest of ourselves, we are too many to remain unseen.'

He almost expected Hagrid to tell him off for leaving his two friends behind, and also started feeling bad himself, but to his surprise, Hagrid nodded.

'Yeah,' he said, 'yeah, too right yeh are... Brave kids, deed I say? I'm sure they'll be alright, Neville, don't yeh worry.'

Neville shrugged and looked outside, a little nervously. 'I hope,' he muttered.

'Yeh had to get out of there,' Hagrid said encouraging, 'yeh're too many, yeh'd bee seen to easily. Was the right thing, Neville. They're off, they surely are.'

Neville gave another shrug, and they all got silent.

They all looked out of the window to see if Ginny and Luna were approaching them. Neville took out one of his galleons and span it in his hand. It remained empty. He looked outside again, and drank the warming tea.

\\*\

Finally, it knocked. Hagrid made his way through the door, how exactly he managed without squeezing any one, Neville didn't know, but somehow he did.

And thankfully, it was Ginny and Luna outside. Hagrid gave a relieved breath. 'Come in, come in,' he said.

Somehow, they found a place to sit down.

'What did you do?,' asked Neville.

'What happened?,' asked Parvati.

'Where have you been all the time?,' asked Seamus.

Ginny took the cup Hagrid was offering her and passed it on to Luna. 'We've been fine,' she then said calmly; they didn't even seem out of breath, or even injured. Neville was reassured.

'We got off just fine,' Ginny said, 'only that we ended up at an entire different end of the castle, and had to make our way out without coming across Carrow again, which proved to be difficult, but not unmanageable.'

'And how did you get rid of him?'

'Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder,' Ginny replied. 'I need to get Fred and George to sent me some more of it, it's awesome.'

'And Ginny's bat-bogey hexes,' Luna added. 'Hit Alecto right in the face.'

'What, they both were there?,' asked Neville.

'Yup,' said Ginny. 'But when they couldn't see anything any more, they threw off some uncontrolled curses into the nowhere, and Luna and I simply had to run for it. They shouted so loud, they didn't even hear us leaving, but we would never have made it if it had been the entire DA.'

Neville nodded slowly. Suddenly, the tea tasted way better. 'I will ask for more powder first thing in the morning,' Ginny promised, and leaned back.

Luna beamed at all of them. 'But we did it again, didn't we?,' she asked happily. 'I even had the time to finish my spells to protect the colour – they won't be pleased tomorrow. And they don't have any idea who's behind it.'

Neville smiled now, too. Yes. They wouldn't find out. The DA was on its way to the top, and that felt awfully good.

They all drank their tea, and suddenly, they started chatting about random other stuff, they ended up telling themselves jokes, and laughed a lot. All the suspense seemed to be taken from them, locked into a separate room.

Finally, Neville got up. 'C'mon guys,' he said. 'We should get back. And it's an hour since Ginny and Luna left the Carrows, surely the coast is clear now.'

Seamus nodded and drank up. 'Thanks, Hagrid,' he said. The others nodded in agreement. 'Thanks.'

But Neville's attention had already been caught by something else. He glanced out of the window and made a step towards it, drawing his eyes together. Hagrid followed his gaze and bent down to the window.

The clouds had gotten heavy and black, and the trees were bowing in the wind.

Hagrid shook his head sadly. 'There's a storm approaching, there is,' he said. 'Yeh should be careful on your way up, it might turn out nasty.'

Neville nodded, and turned to the DA. 'Let's go,' he said, and turned to Hagrid. 'We all owe you, Hagrid,' he said.

'Oh, never mention it. Yeh can always count on me if yeh need help. I'm all behind you. All against the Carrows.'

Neville smiled. 'That's good to hear.'

They left the hut, and went outside. Indeed, it was very stormy out here. Neville tightened his clothes and covered himself under his hood. 'Let's go,' he said. He had to talk loud against the wind. It was incredible how soon the weather had changed. It hadn't looked rainy at all when they had left the castle, but it was very cold and stormy now, and the first rain drops started falling. There shoes got wet, and also the volume of the night had changed. It had been all quiet in Hagrid's hut, but here, the wind growled and whispered things through the leaves of the tree crowns.

They hurried upwards and tried to avoid the puddles that started to build.

Neville turned to Ginny and Luna. 'Looks like autumn is on its way,' he mumbled.

'What?,' Ginny shouted back loudly.

Neville shook his head. 'Forget it!,' he shouted her into the face.

They breathed heavily as they reached the castle.

'Hold on,' said Luna. 'Before you enter... Drying charms. Or they'll be able to see our footsteps. Would be counter-productive, wouldn't it?'

They quickly took out their wands, that thankfully and wondrously had remained dry. Ginny looked at them all when they had finished. 'Good,' she said. 'Like that we can get inside.'

They opened the door quietly. Neville hesitated. 'Let's depart now already,' he whispered. 'So they won't detect us, if they are still crawling around.'

So they departed. Neville went alone with Seamus and Ginny, he said goodbye to Luna, and he hoped he would see them all back at the breakfast table, uninjured and as happy as he had left them.

He certainly was.


	7. Suspicions and Dreads

**Chapter 7: Suspicions and Dreads  
**

The next morning in the great hall, he saw to his joy that the Carrows looked like they might explode here and there. The message was written in light letters on the wall.

 _DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY – still recruiting!_

Carrow shouted around, made wild gestures with his hands and Neville could literally smell the trouble, but he didn't care. Smiling happily, he sat next to Ginny and Luna, who had joined them for breakfast.

'Morning,' he said, grinning. They smiled at them, too. Neville tried to keep his smile discreet, but he felt so happy it was hard for him.

That was a nice feeling to feel at least for once.

This time, Snape didn't let them gather in the great hall. Neville thought that maybe he already started to give up, maybe he indeed didn't remember the DA...

If it wasn't for the Carrow's shouting in the background, it was just a normal morning. The owls with the post arrived in time and brought Ginny, Luna Neville all a letter from home.

Neville's gran had written him the usual, and Ginny also lay her letter aside after having read it, and got up. 'See you later,' she said, 'I will try to get in touch with Fred and George.'

Neville smiled at her and put his thumbs up. Then he turned to Luna and noticed to his shock that the normally beaming girl had creases between her eyes. She looked miserable. Not the way he knew her, and he knew at once something was wrong.

'Luna?,' he asked quietly.

She looked up, stuffed the letter into her pocket and stormed out off the hall.

Neville frowned, got up, and followed her. Luna had never acted that strange. He was seriously worried.

He found her outside, sitting in the cold. The storm hadn't really said good-bye yet, and the ground was wet from the rain.

Neville sat next to her.

'What is it, Luna?,' he asked sympathetically.

She looked at him. Her eyes were a little bit red, a way he had never seen them, and she looked way more mature than a few minutes ago.

She took out the envelope.

'Here,' she said, sniffing a little bit. 'It's my dad,' she said quietly.

Neville frowned. 'What about him?,' he asked, worrying. He already dreaded him to be killed, or in Azkaban, when Luna said:

'He's in trouble. He writes he can hardly tell me in a letter, but he's been blackmailed and they dread him...'

She wiped over her tears. 'He's worried,' she closed. 'And if my dad's worried, that means something. The last time I remember him worrying about something was when -' She faltered and looked to the ground. 'I'm scared for him, Neville,' she whispered. 'I can't lose him, Neville, I just can't.'

She let the parchment sink to the ground.

Neville took it and put it carefully in her pocket. 'You won't, Luna,' he said quietly. 'I promise.'

She shrugged. 'So much connects us,' she whispered. 'You know, fighting in the DA – apart from having friends - it reminds me of him – it's what he does, after all – saying stuff other people barely dare to think – and I want to carry on, but what if what connects us will tear us apart? Because of them? Because of the Death Eaters, and I...'

She didn't talk on, but cried now.

'I just don't think – we both resisting – we both getting threats – I can't believe we'll both get off – and we cannot lose one another, we've already lost -'

She stopped again.

Neville stroked her carefully over the hair.

'I'm so sorry, Luna,' he said quietly. 'I didn't know under how much pressure you where.'

He hesitated. 'Your dad's a brave man,' he said, 'brave and strong. He'll be fine. And the Weasleys live close by, don't they? They'll have a watch on him, surely they will have...'

Luna didn't say anything to that.

'And you, Luna, you're tougher than anyone would think. As if someone as cowardice as the Carrows could get to you.'

She rose her gaze. Her eyes were glistening. 'Thanks, Neville,' she said quietly.

They gazed into the distance for several moments. Luna sighed. 'We should get back inside, shouldn't we?,' she mumbled.

Neville nodded and got up. 'Let's go,' he said, and took her hand. She smiled at him.

'Don't worry,' he said. 'You're not alone. That's what friends are for.'

Luna nodded and they walked silently back inside.

'I'm sorry, you'll be late,' she said.

He shrugged. 'It's alright. You think I'm eager to be in time for them?'

She smiled weakly.

'It's Quidditch soon,' Neville said. 'Looking forward to it?'

She looked up and smiled under her tears. 'Yes,' she said. 'Really, I do.'

'Of course you do. You know what I like about you, Luna? If you're smiling, you're happy. If you're crying, you're sad. You never play a role.'

She looked at him before she spoke. 'It's easier that way,' she said simply.

\\*\

They had been spared an assembly in the great hall, but of course the topic did not remain unmentioned. Neville's first period was filled with Dark Arts, and Carrow looked furious, even more furious than a few hours ago.

'I know,' he said sharply, 'that there are students at Hogwarts who know exactly what's been going on. Anyone in here is found in possession of Darkness Powder will be seen guilty at once. And I assure you, you'll be in trouble beyond your imagination.

'Any student knowing anything about the group called "Dumbledore's Army" has to report that knowledge at once. Keeping quiet is forbidden.'

His tone was sharp. 'And be sure, we will find out who's been behind the vandalism. Don't worry about that.'

He stared into the room.

No one moved.

'Fine,' he said dangerously. 'I seriously hope you have all heard the term "Dumbledore's Army" the first time two days ago. Now open your books at page 121.'

\\*\

Neville was sitting in the common room, when Seamus came to him, running frantically. 'Neville!,' he said, panting.

Neville looked up. 'What is it, Seamus?'

'It's the Carrows. And Snape. I've just seen them on the corridor.' He breathed hardly. 'They want to inspect the portraits, ask them to report the students who left their common rooms.'

Neville stared at him. 'Damned,' he mumbled, and got up. He started biting his lip. 'Damn, Seamus, we've been stupid – I've been stupid – we should have expected that!'

Seamus looked nervously to the entry of the Gryffindor common room.

'What do we do?'

Neville jumped to the end of the room. 'Talk to them,' he said nervously, 'c'mon!'

They ran out of their common room. 'Okay,' said Neville to Seamus. 'Try to find someone from Hufflepuff. Use your galleon. They got to be warned. And on your way see if you find someone from Ravenclaw, but I guess they'll be there the last... Their common room is up in the tower...'

Seamus nodded and ran off.

Neville turned to the fat lady. 'Please,' he said to her.

She looked at him, frowning. 'What is it?,' she snarled. 'You can't have forgotten the password again, you just came out of the room.'

'It's not the password,' Neville said quickly, 'it's about last night.'

'What, that you woke me up again?'

'Yes. Sorry about that. Well,' Neville took a deep breath and looked over his shoulder. 'We had to. We had to get out. And back in. It was important.'

'What was so important that it couldn't wait until -'

'Please!,' said Neville. 'I'm in a hurry, really. I'll explain later. The Carrows and Snape will come up here, and you can't tell them we've been out. Okay? Could you do that? Keeping quiet about who left the common room yesterday and the night before yesterday?'

She frowned. 'The new headmaster and the Carrows?'

'Yes,' said Neville urgently. 'Please, can you do that for me? Do us the favour?'

'I see no reason for it,' she said annoyed, 'but if you insist... If you promise you'll leave me alone the next nights.'

Neville breathed out in relief. 'Okay,' he said, not even fully aware of what she had said, 'thanks!'

And then he turned around, and ran up the stairs. He had to find someone from Ravenclaw.

He hurried up the tower and hoped that the Hufflepuff portrait would prove itself as helpful as the fat lady.

When he had reached the tower he assumed the Ravenclaw common room to be set in, he stopped dead. Snape and the Carrows had been faster than him, obviously. They headed straight for the entrance door.

Neville stared at them, blankly. Luna mustn't get in trouble, not just now... And he didn't want Cho to get problems, either.

The male Carrow knocked heavily with the knocker.

'Tell us,' he said sharply, 'tell us who left the common room yesterday night. And the night before yesterday.'

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then, the knocker answered back to him.

'Answers shall be found, not given.'

Neville watched breathlessly how Amycus turned to Snape and frowned at him.

Snape made a step forward.

'We have been searching,' he remarked drily, 'and have been led to come here.'

'Finding, not searching,' corrected the knocker, and turned silent.

Carrow made a step forward and furiously pushed it a few times. 'Damn thing,' he spat.

Snape turned around. 'It looks like we will not find what we search here,' he said calmly.

Carrow turned to him. 'Ah, fine,' he shouted, 'so let's just go, shouldn't we?'

'It might be wiser to consult the other houses first, indeed.'

'Indeed,' snarled the female Carrow now. 'Why making such effort? We should simply get into the common room and torture them 'til we got our answers. We can't let them do what they want here, we'll lose our authority!'

'Authority only ever shows when its demanded,' remarked Snape. 'And be assured I agree with you, Alecto – with both of you – Dumbledore's Army must be shut down, but we should examine the other houses first in order to achieve anything at all.'

She crossed her arms.

Snape turned around without further notice, and walked towards the stair.

Towards Neville.

Frantically, Neville gasped for a second, and then turned around, hurried down the staircase. He almost got dizzy on his way down, but somehow he managed to reach the last step before the Carrows.

Quickly, he ran to his own common room, and hid behind a pillar to watch them. They didn't come for quite a while, though. Neville frowned. If the Carrows and Snape were showing and kind of human intelligence, they would come to the Gryffindor common room first, because it was almost on the way when you were starting at the Ravenclaw tower.

But it seemed they had to decided to investigate the Hufflepuff common room, which was placed in the dungeons first.

When they finally reached at the fat lady's portrait, Neville's breathing had calmed down a little bit again.

He hoped she would keep her promise.

Snape opened his mouth to say something, but Carrow spoke first.

'Lady,' he said sharply. Judging by their general annoyance, Neville assumed they had failed to get any information from the Hufflepuff's guarder. He hoped for it.

'We know someone has left the common room yesterday night and the night before,' he snarled. 'And it is your duty to tell us who it was.'

She looked up. Neville's heart beat faster.

'I haven't seen anyone,' she said. Her voice was calm.

Neville breathed out, still nervously.

'You all think we're stupid, do you?,' Carrow said, way louder now. 'How dare you lie to us!'

'Amycus,' Snape said quietly, 'be aware that the fat lady -'

'What?,' he shouted. 'They're lying, the whole lot. They have been tipped off by the students, I tell you!'

He turned to the portrait. 'You know there's a new rule here,' he snarled. 'And there is no room for people who are disobeying.'

She merely looked at the three of them. 'I have told you,' she said calmly. 'I can only tell you what I have seen.'

'But you must have asked for the password!,' Carrow shouted. 'Are you telling me you have been so sleepy you didn't notice people running in and out?'

She didn't reply.

Carrow got wild. 'Fine!,' he yelled. 'Why do we have those damn portraits hanging around here, anyway? They should make space, we should have the Dark Lord looking down on these walls!'

He pulled out a knife out of his pocket.

'Tell me!,' he shouted. 'There is no room in Hogwarts for liars and non-supporters!'

The fat lady didn't say anything and Neville couldn't help feeling thankful and heavy sympathy towards the painting.

Carrow reached back and stabbed the knife straight into the painting. The fat lady let out a loud, very load scream, before she hurried to leave her frame, and left the portrait. Nevertheless, Carrow kept stabbing the empty frame, shouting furiously.

'Amycus,' Snape said calmly. 'This is getting us nowhere.'

'Obviously the students got the portraits on their side!,' Carrow bickered. 'We should get rid of the lot in an instance!'

'I quite agree,' said Snape, 'but who should watch over the common rooms?'

'To hell with the common rooms,' Carrow shouted. 'Who cares about common rooms, let's stuff them all into the dungeons where they all belong!'

'"No innocent pure blood shall be spilled"", said shortly. 'Surely you remember the lord's words, don't you? We will not act out of orders because of some childish pranks.'

'Pranks!,' snapped Alecto now. 'If you call that pranks! It's a disgust, a disgrace!'

Carrow crossed his arms. 'We should come up with something,' he said, more calmly now. 'The kids cannot believe they can do whatever the please at night-times. They get into a foolish direction.'

'I agree with you, Amycus,' said Snape, 'but maybe we shouldn't discuss it here.' He pointed displaying on the staircase, where two third-years now where on their way up.

'Right,' Carrow said, and nodded, and turned away from the portrait.

The two students looked at the three a little bit dreading, but Snape ignored them thoroughly.

'One greets the headmaster,' Alecto snapped furiously at the students. They looked up, startled.

'Good evening, sir,' they said in unison and stared at Snape, who merely nodded, terrified.

Neville waited 'til they were gone and then got up, carefully. His eyes wandered over the walls to find the fat lady, and thank her, but he didn't spot her. Shrugging, he wanted to enter the common room and then noticed that that was obviously not possible as long as the fat lady was gone.

The two students had sat themselves on one of the staircase, and Neville joined them.

The girl looked at him. 'You're seventh year, aren't you?'

'Yup,' said Neville gloomily.

'What do you have to do if the fat lady isn't available?'

He looked at her. 'Wait, I guess' he said. 'It's never happened before.'

'Why is she gone?'

Neville shrugged. She seemed to realise he wasn't in the mood for talking, and poked her friend in the side. 'Come,' she said. 'Let's go, and find professor McGonagall.'

Neville started after them, and wondered what the Carrows and Snape might be up to now. Snape almost made the impression as if he wanted to let the subject go, but the Carrows seemed eager to catch them, either because they were simply cruel or because they in fact wanted to clear the school of them. Either way it would be no good for the DA. He got up, and turned his galleon in his hand. He needed to see the others.

They gathered in the room of requirement again.

'The fat lady's gone,' Ginny informed him.

'I know, I know,' said Neville, 'I was there..' He looked around. 'Is everyone here?'

They got silent and settled down.

'Okay,' said Neville, 'first things first. Ernie, have the Carrows or Snape found anything from out from your portrait?'

Ernie shook his head. 'They'd never betray us,' he said. 'They're very loyal to Dumbledore, you know. And to us, too.'

Neville nodded, relieved. 'Okay, good.'

'The Carrows were furious,' Ernie said. 'Amycus shouted around and Alecto started to get wild. They almost attacked us when we passed them, if it wasn't for Snape.'

'Snape?'

'Yeah. Odd bloke he is, isn't he? Anyway they were off to your common room then, and left us alone. I guess they figured it was most likely Gryffindor were behind it all.'

'Yeah, probably,' said Neville. 'They turned pretty nasty when the fat lady refused to give them any information. I don't know what they're up to now, but the Carrows are not going to let this go.'

'No, I guess not,' Ginny said, sighing. 'I was having class with both of them today and they threatened us that anyone found guilty of either membership of the DA, or of knowing something about it, would be expelled. And then he demonstrated quite nicely that expulsion doesn't mean being sent home.'

Neville rose his eyebrow. 'But where else...'  
'Azkaban,' Ginny said. 'That's where they are sending students who are expelled now. The Carrows explained that the school was doing its best for every students, and anyone who was still "spoilt like that" was either a maniac or a criminal, and therefore they should be sent to Azkaban. They don't even need a trial. The request of expulsion is enough.'

'What?,' spat Seamus. 'They could sent every student to Azkaban if they found a reason to expel him? Like that would be so difficult, seeing how almost every student is breaking one of their pathetic rules.'

Ginny shrugged. 'That's how it looks like,' she said, 'anyway, how would you think a trial would have helped much? The Death Eaters have infiltrated the ministry, by all looks of it, and if they want to lock you away, or execute you, they'd do that anyway.'

Neville nodded slowly. 'Yeah,' he said, 'yeah, it's not a big surprise, I guess... Anyway, the fact the Carrows have held big lectures gives us another reason to repeat our deeds, and I'd say this very night would be sufficient. They will reinforce their security now, anyway, judging by the Carrows' look on their faces, and the less weakness we show, the better, for everyone.'

The others nodded.

'I'd say,' Ernie said, 'we should get a little bit more aggressive. Let's depart tonight – after all, if we're not wandering around in big groups, we're less easy to catch anyway – and spread messages all over the castle.'

Luna beamed. 'Great idea, Ernie,' she said, and looked around.

'We're about twenty,' Neville said, 'let's go all in groups about three people, that makes six groups. Six times daubing for the Carrows to get rid of. Or Filch, more like it.'

Ginny nodded. 'Great,' she said. 'And be careful, everyone, with what you say. We don't want to get reckless.'


	8. A sword

**A/N: I think this is my favorite chapter so far, so I do hope you guys enjoy it as well! I am not sure how frequently I can upload in 2019, since I have got exams coming up but we'll see :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: A Sword**

After the meeting, Ginny held Neville and Luna back. 'Hold on, Neville,' she said. Neville looked at her. 'What is it?'

She hesitated. 'I need to talk to you guys,' she said. 'In quiet. Can we linger for a moment?'

Neville nodded, a little bit bewildered. Luna sat herself on the floor. Neville said goodbye to everyone, then turned to Ginny. 'Yes?'

'Okay,' she took a deep breath. 'I've been thinking about this for a long time... and I wanna try and do it... But I'll need your help, and it's dangerous, very dangerous.'

Neville merely stared at her. 'What... what do you want to do?,' he asked.

She hesitated for a second. 'I want to steal the sword of Gryffindor.'

Neville stared at her.

Luna rose her gaze. 'What sword, Ginny?,' she asked.

Ginny took a deep breath, and spoke then without pausing once. 'You guys know when Harry came and visited, he was told about the will of Dumbledore. Dumbledore has left him, Hermione and Ron three items, and the sword of Gryffindor, but Harry never got hold of it. Scrimgeour couldn't give it to him.'

Neville looked at her. 'And where is it?'

'Here,' Ginny said, 'in the castle. Where Dumbledore has left it after it was used in the chamber of secrets.'

'Could you guys tell me what item we are talking about, again?,' Luna asked. Ginny looked up.

'It's a sword,' she said, 'and it belonged to Gryffindor, and it's very beautiful and – well, obviously it's got to be important, don't you think? If Harry should have it?'

Neville still looked thoughtfully around the room. 'Why would Dumbledore leave Harry the sword?,' he asked slowly.

Ginny shrugged and frowned. 'Does the particular reason make a difference? He wouldn't have left it to Harry if it hadn't been important, for what precise reason he needs it is of no importance, is it? But he needs it... and he's out there somewhere... and obviously he can't get his hands on the sword, because it's here.'

'How do you know it's got to be in the castle?'

'Because that's where it belongs. Harry had mentioned to Ron and Hermione it's where he has last seen the sword. And after all, it belongs the school. Scrimgeour said he couldn't give it to Harry because Dumbledore hasn't the right to give it away, but he obviously got his hands on it – well that's what Ron says, at least.'

She paused and looked at them.

'It's more likely that it's here than elsewhere.'

She paused. 'Listen guys, I know it could be dangerous... But it's important to me, very. And it's probably essential for Harry, and we are supposed to fight You-Know-Who, that's the point of the DA, isn't it? We have got the chance to do something real now. Something that would change something.'

Neville hesitated. 'The way you are describing it I know only two places where it may be.'

Ginny frowned.

'Since Dumbledore had it in his office... it's probably in the headmaster's office, don't you think?,' he said.

'Yes,' Ginny said, sighing, 'yes, I guess, especially if you take in account that Dumbledore was leaving the sword to Harry, he wouldn't put it somewhere no one would suspect it.'

'He wouldn't,' Neville said slowly, 'unless...'

'Unless he never thought that the ministry would pass the sword to Harry,' Luna closed.

'You think Dumbledore figured that?'

Neville shrugged. 'It's Dumbledore we're talking about,' he said. 'If anyone thought among those lines, he would.'

'But where would he put it?,' asked Ginny, frowning. 'There must be around a hundred hiding places in this castle.'

'I don't think there are,' Neville said. 'Come on, Ginny, where would Dumbledore hide something only Harry should find?'

She frowned at him. 'The chamber of secrets?,' she suggested.

'No, Ginny. Here of course.' He started walking up and down in the room.

'Here?,' she asked.

'Think!,' Neville said. 'Dumbledore knew Harry knew the place. He even knew about Dumbledore's Army! And that we were using the room of requirement! And... and everything! It's such an obvious place to hide something!'

He looked at her hopefully. Luna nodded in agreement, but Ginny didn't look persuaded.

'No,' she said slowly. 'I mean, yes... It's such an obvious place to hide something... That's the point, Neville. Harry told us last year that Draco Malfoy was using the room of requirement. And if Harry knew, Dumbledore must've known, and he would never use it then to hide something to pass onto Harry.'

Neville stopped walking in circles and sat down, thinking.

'So why would you think it's in the Chamber of secrets?,' he asked.

Ginny stared at him. 'Oh, Neville, it's so obvious, isn't it? I mean – it's where it's been used last – but even more important, the chamber of secrets isn't simply a chamber – you need Parseltongue to get inside, and Harry's the only one who can speak it! And it's where he's defeated You-Know-Who last – with the sword – it makes so much sense to hide it there so he can defeat You-Know-Who again!'

She looked at him. 'Come on, Neville, it makes perfect sense. Dumbledore could have been figuring that Harry wouldn't return to Hogwarts, but fight Voldemort, but he'd know that one person remains who was present when Harry defeated him, and that I could maybe-'

'I think,' Luna said quietly, 'you are maybe putting too much thought in this Chamber of secrets incident, Ginny.' She sat down and looked at Neville.

Ginny frowned. 'What do you think, Neville?'

He stared at both of them. 'We've been stupid,' he said. 'Your idea makes no sense, Ginny... You are suggesting Dumbledore knew he was going to die... Obviously, he did not hide the sword at all!'

He got on his feet again, and walked up and down again. 'See, why would he hide the sword in peculiar places? Why would he think Harry would, or would not return to Hogwarts? Dumbledore was fighting You-Know-Who! If he'd known he would die soon, he would have given Harry the sword earlier... Why would he be talking in riddles? Him and Harry were close, there is absolutely no reason...'

Ginny frowned. 'But he did put the sword in his will,' she said, 'obviously he must've sensed his death approaching.'

A crease appeared between Neville's eyes. 'Maybe he just wanted to be sure Harry would get the sword in case something would happen to him... just in case... But he wouldn't have hid it.'

They were silent for several moments, considering.

'So it would be in the headmaster's office,' Neville said into the silent room.

Ginny looked up, and frowned. 'We just can't be sure,' she sighed. 'But I guess we must assume something... Okay, let's say, the sword is in the office, how do we come by it?'

They looked at each other again.

'There's something else, too,' Luna said. 'Let's just say we have the sword, how can we make sure Harry receives it? I mean, that's the point of him going into hiding – not a soul knows where he is.'

Ginny shrugged. 'We should worry about that once we have the sword,' she said, 'which should be difficult enough as it is.'

She rubbed over her nose. 'I guess we should just try and get into his office,' she said slowly, 'while he sleeps... or, better, we set something up with the DA.'

Luna and Neville nodded. 'Yes,' said Neville, 'yes, it could work, if they distracted him...'

'Did Fred and George already sent the powder?,' Luna asked. Ginny nodded.

'A bit,' she said. 'They wouldn't want to give away to much, in case I wouldn't receive it. Thank god it passed the control... It can turn out pretty handy judging by what we plan on doing...'

Neville started to think that Ginny's plan of attempting to steal the sword might have been the major reason she had ordered the darkness powder in the first place.

'And when?,' he asked. 'When do we do it?'

Ginny frowned. 'I'd say as soon as possible, but I don't know... I got the feeling Snape is up to something.' She started wringing her fingers. 'Maybe we should wait and watch a little his reactions to what we do with the DA... But I don't know...' She sighed, and looked at the other two.

'I mean... who are we trying to kid? We're doomed, honestly. They'll find out and we're expelled at once. I am not saying I'm afraid,' she added quickly, 'I just think we're doing it all wrong... It has been the wrong idea to think we could do something like that without him – without Harry.' She looked from Neville to Luna. 'I mean, we may call ourselves Dumbledore's Army, but in the end, it always was Potter's Army, wasn't it. And now we just notice... It's ridiculous. We're ridiculous.'

Neville stared at her and made a step towards her. 'Don't think that, Ginny,' he said. 'Don't you dare even think about it. We're Dumbledore's Army, with and without Harry. It's our thoughts that count, not the name or the leader.' He looked her into the eyes. 'Just what we stand for, that matters.'

Ginny was biting her lip. 'Maybe,' she said, 'but we're failing, aren't we? I just... I don't know. Harry would know what to do. Or Hermione, at least. We just don't.'

Neville bent to her and placed his arm at her shoulder. 'We're doing just fine,' he said. 'And we'll get that sword and make sure Harry is getting it, I promise.'

She nodded and turned around. 'See you later.'

Neville looked after her and wondered what to do with her. She had changed so much since Harry was gone.

'She'll come around,' said Luna cheerfully. 'She's a bit upset because of Harry at times, but people always come around after time. I did, didn't I? I barely worried about my dad today. Does that make me a bad daughter?'

'No,' said Neville. 'A great person.'

\\*\

To his utter surprise another night passed without them getting caught. Seamus, Michael and Ernie had said that it had been a close run for them, but nothing had happened and they hadn't even used up all their powder.

The next morning, the castle was spread with their messages.

 _Loyalty to the REAL Headmaster!_

 _DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY for Defence against the Dark Arts!  
McGonagall for Deputy Headmistress!_

 _portraits, fight back!_

Some of them were very small and barely recognizable if you didn't see them, others were as big signs as the first two messages. The Carrows were running around, wildly, and finally announced that the school was to gather itself in the great hall for a mandatory meeting.

Students whispered silently on their way downstairs.

While at the beginning, everyone had thought the DA to be some kind of a joke of someone, they now started considering who was behind it.

'Whoever it is,' heard Neville someone say, and when he turned around, he recognized the first-year girl that had been tortured by the Carrows, 'I'm all with them.'

Others said similar things, and Neville entered the great hall with a wide smile on his face. Quickly he got a grip of himself as he spotted the Carrows, who were arguing with Snape.

He joined Ginny and Seamus in the row, and like the last time, everyone gazed to the front. But it was the Carrows who spoke this time, Amycus first.

'Students,' he said, his voice echoing loudly amongst the walls, 'you will have noticed the vandalism on the walls. In spite of several warnings, the student, or students, who hide behind the name Dumbledore's Army have not ceased with their scrambling. This is against the school rule paragraph 3, epigraph 2a, and therefore threatened with expulsion.

'Until the wrongdoers are caught, we have seen it fit to assign a collective punishment. There will be no discussion; thank those under yourselves who carry the name Dumbledore's Army like a crown.

'Every student will be serving detention, a plan has been pinned on the blackboards of each house, in which they will get rid of the scribbling on the walls, or do other services for the school. This will go until the responsible students are caught. The so-called Dumbledore's Army has until tonight to report themselves; if they are caught, no mercy will be taking into account.

'Any engagement with that group is forbidden and punished by detention, and more than wiping away paint. You have been warned. It is furthermore prohibited to remain silent of any suspicious movements, equally to forming any new student groups counting more than three students.'

He turned to Alecto. 'That's all, isn't it?'

She nodded. 'Nothing to add,' she said.

'Very well,' Amycus said, rolled his parchment together and stormed out of the hall, together with his sister. Snape remained on his seat for several moments while everyone started to spread into all directions.

Neville turned to Ginny. 'That was cheerful,' he said ironically. Ginny nodded gloomily.

'But they are getting desperate, don't you think?,' Luna said, who joined them. 'Collective punishment... I mean, it's no fun, but it shows they have got no clue who's behind it, doesn't it?'

Neville shrugged. 'I guess,' he said. 'But we've got to be careful. They're not stupid, are they? You realise what they're doing, don't you? They're trying to set the students up against us.' He frowned grimly. 'Not stupid, really not. We've got to be careful, we can't lose the students' support.'

'But they love it,' Luna said, beaming. 'Some of them, at least. I've heard people talking about it. It seems they are really happy with what we've been doing.'

'Some, and now they are,' Ginny said, 'who knows what they'll say once they have to get rid of our writings...'

Neville nodded, gloomily. Then he turned to the right to get into the common room. Ginny looked on him. 'Aren't you having classes?'

'Free period this morning,' Neville replied. 'And good I have, too, because I still got to do loads of homework. Ever since we started the DA I barely get done with it in time.'

'Me neither,' said Luna, 'But I don't care so much.'

Neville shrugged. 'We'll see later, okay? I'll try to make up my mind about … you know, what.'

Ginny nodded and smiled at them thankfully and tired. 'See you later.'

\\*\

Just when Neville had entered the common room and checked the blackboard -by the looks of it, he still had time until it was his turn to be in detention – he decided to get downstairs again to see Hagrid. He turned around, walked down the staircases and met Seamus on the way, who looked tired and exhausted.  
'Hey, Seamus,' he said. 'Are you having a free period this morning, too?'  
But Neville shook his head and hurried upstairs. 'I have got Transfiguration,but I need to get back, I forgot something.'

With those words, he jumped up the last steps of the stair, and Neville turned away again.

The earth outside still felt a little bit wet. It had been stormy the last days, and Neville had just been glad it hadn't rained that strongly when they had to walk the way up here to the castle.

He knocked at Hagrid's door. Suddenly the thought occurred him that Hagrid might have to give a lesson now, after all, he was still a teacher, but the door got pushed open, and Hagrid smiled down at him.

'Hello, Neville,' he gruffled. Neville smiled back.

'Hello, Hagrid. Better time for a cup of tea now?'

Hagrid nodded and stepped aside.

'Sure, get in.'

While he was turning to the fireplace to heat the water, he turned back to Neville again. 'Tell me,' he said, 'aren't yeh having classes?'

Neville shook his head. 'Free period,' he said.

'Ah, right,' said Hagrid, and hesitated. 'Wouldn't want to fill it with Magical Creatures, would yeh?'

Neville shrugged. 'I dunno,' he said, 'I mean, it's time I'll need for studying... And now with the DA.'

'A, o' course,' said Hagrid. 'How could I have forgotten. Well, it's fine. For me, it's fine.'

He stared out of the window.

Neville stared on the table. 'Have you - have you been up to the school lately?,' he asked.

Hagrid sat down next to him. 'As a matter of fact, I have,' he said.

Neville rose his gaze.

'Mandatory assembly,' Hagrid grumped. 'Mandatory for staff, as well. Well, a bunch of rubbish, that was, wasn't it? They'd lock yeh in for doing nothin' next, they would.'

Neville nodded shortly. Hagrid glanced at him. 'Hey, yeh wouldn't get yerselves get pushed down by 'em, would yeh? It's just right what yeh're doing. The whole staff says to, professor McGonagall, too. An' the students, from what I've heard on my way passing.'

Neville nodded again, and Hagrid turned around to get the water from the fire, and poured it into two cups. Neville reached for his cup and stared into the cup, watched how the tea leaves were spreading themselves in the hot water.

'I've seen some of your scribbling this morning,' Hagrid added, amused.

Neville looked up.

'Not bad they are, not bad,' chuckled Hagrid.

Neville sighed and shrugged. 'No - I guess not. And we will proceed, of course we will proceed. Like them could get to us.'

'Ah, that's the spirit I want!,' Hagrid said loudly, and patted Neville on his shoulder.

'Yeh got a lot of yehr parents, did yeh know that?,' he said. 'Got their spirit and their courage alright. Wouldn't give in fer anyone fer their friends.'

Neville knew which event Hagrid was referring to, and nodded. 'Yeah, I guess,' he said.

'Yeh can be proud o' them,' said Hagrid. 'And they can be proud of yeh, alright. If they could see you know - ah, it's a shame.'

Neville nodded and bit his lip. Hagrid placed his hand on his shoulder. 'Don't worry,' he said grimly, 'we'll make sure alright that doesn't happen again. That no more people have to endure what... yeh know. But they've been great wizards, at their time, and now it's yer turn.'

Neville looked at him thankfully.

'Hagrid, there is something else I wanted to say to you,' he said carefully.

Hagrid looked up. 'Well, yeh just say it then,' he said. 'Yeh should always talk about stuff. Better out then in.'

Neville nodded. 'Right. Well, it's a little bit complicated...' He hesitated, not being so sure if Hagrid was the right person to entrust with. 'What do you know about Dumbledore's will, Hagrid?'

Hagrid looked at him, a little bit bewildered. 'His - his will?,' he asked.

Neville nodded.

'Well, not much, I can tell yeh,' Hagrid said. 'He left me that whistle, he has, and nice it is, but I have never even seen that parchment.' He frowned at him. 'Why do yeh ask?'

Neville started drawing circles on the table with his hand. 'Well,' he said slowly, 'because... Ginny knows Harry has been left something.'

'Ah, I know, the order has mentioned it,' Hagrid said. 'The sword and a snitch, right? Yeah, I know about that alright.'

Neville nodded in relief. 'The point is, he never got the sword, and Ginny, and Luna, and I, we think it is probably rather important, seeing that it's Dumbledore who left it to him - it surely had a purpose - but if Harry never receives it... And we think... we thought maybe we know where it is.' He looked up to look in Hagrid's face.

He stared a little bit blankly at him. 'Yeh think Dumbledore's left Harry the sword for a purpose?'

'Well, yeah,' said Neville, frowning. 'Why? Don't you?'

'I dunno,' said Hagrid, 'I mean, he hasn't left me that whistle for a deeper purpose, has he? Or that snitch to Harry... Why would he bother leaving him the sword, if it was so important he surely would have given it to him personally?'

Neville shrugged. 'We didn't know about the Snitch,' he said, 'we merely thought of the sword. But... well... it's the sword of Gryffindor, and Harry has already used it once against You-know-Who - surely it makes sense to use it again?'

Hagrid looked at him thoughtfully. 'Yeah, maybe,' he said. 'Maybe, I mean everything's possible, isn't it? So you will try an' get it, or what? Where do yeh think would Dumbledore have kept it? Maybe the ministry has taken it after examining the will, to make sure it's not taken away from the school?'

Neville frowned. They hadn't considered that yet. 'I don't think so,' he said finally. 'I have the feeling it takes more than simply taking the sword from the wall to get it out of the school. And Snape's headmaster now, after all.' He paused for a second. 'I don't think they would have made a lot of effort with this sword. They refused Harry to have it, but I don't think there's more to it. Of course, none of us has been in the room with Scrimgeour and Harry... And Scrimgeour has resigned...'

Hagrid looked up. 'Yeh're kidding me, don't yeh?,' he asked.

Neville looked up. 'Why?'

'Scrimgeour's resigned... Utter rubbish. O' course the lot has killed him. Slaughtered him the day they have taken over, and with a great deal of torture involved, too. Resigned... Do you believe your professor Burbage has resigned, too?'

Neville stared at him blankly. 'What?,' he stammered, but now he thought about it, he realised he had been foolish to believe the tales that had been spread. Childish tales, that were.

Hagrid nodded grimly. 'Slaughtered,' he said, 'all killed, they've been.'

He stared on the table.

Neville swallowed, and for a moment, they were silent.

'Anyway,' Neville said, catching up their original topic again. 'We figured the sword would be in the castle, in Dumbledore's office, presumably.'

'Yeah, it's possible,' Hagrid said. 'But that's Snape's office now, good luck with getting in there. He's pretty protective about it, I noticed that when I was at the place, for... never mind.'

He looked at Neville frowning. 'Yeh know I support yeh, an' all,' he said, 'but trying to get into the Snape's office, that may be beyond what yeh've been doing so far. He can be nasty, and yeh don't want to ran into his wide arms.'

'Of course we would come up with a plan first,' Neville said calmly.

Hagrid looked up. 'How is Harry going to get the sword?,' he said.

Neville shrugged. 'We'll find a way once we have it – if we can get it. Hagrid, you want to help Harry, too, don't you?'

'Help him?,' Hagrid asked, and smashed his cup on the table. 'Damn right, I want to help him. Been his friend since he was a little boy! Have been carrying him when You-Know-Who first was after him! Have showed Hogwarts to him.'

He took a gulp of the tea and stared into the cup. 'Blimey,' he muttered, 'fer a while I couldn't even imagine another Hogwarts without him – without Harry – and now it's happened, and he's out there...'

He shook his head sadly. Neville looked at the man.

'I'm sorry, Hagrid,' he said uncertainly. 'Of course you miss him – of course you want to help him.'

Hagrid sniffed a bit. 'He's always helped me with stuff,' he muttered. 'Remember the fiasco with Norbert? Yeh've been involved, too, Neville, I remember well... And he's looked after Grawp... Of course yeh wouldn't know who Grawp is, would yeh?'

Neville shook his head.

'Can tell yeh know,' Hagrid sad, 'doesn't matter if yeh know or not... He's my brother, yeh see. And Harry's always been very friendly with him. So were Ron and Hermione o' course. And Harry was here at Aragogs funeral – he knew how much it meant to me. He's always very caring. Brave boy, just like his parents. And decent, the whole Potter lot.'

Neville nodded absently, and stared in his cup. Then he rose his glance to look at the clock on the wall, and flinched for a second.

'I've got to go,' he said, quickly emptied his tea and put the cup on the table. 'Thanks for the tea, Hagrid.'

Hagrid nodded, and took his cup. 'Good luck to yeh, Neville. Yeh tell me if you get the sword fer Harry, will yeh?'

Neville nodded and then hastened outside.

He had lingered at Hagrid's longer than he had planned to, and if he didn't hurry now he would be back for class.

'Hagrid didn't know anything about the sword?,' Ginny asked, disappointed. Neville shook his head. 'He was bewildered when I mentioned it. But he's all for us.'

Ginny sat down. 'But,' she said slowly, 'if Hagrid knows nothing about the door, of everyone remaining he's got to be the closest to Dumbledore and -'

Neville gripped her shoulders and hold her tightly and carefully. 'Hey,' he said. 'Listen. We've got a plan, don't we? I don't see why Dumbledore should have been hiding the sword. If it's not in his office, we'll search the room of requirement and the chamber of secrets - '

He hoped very much that there would be no need for the latter.

'If we get in,' Ginny said gloomily, 'if we get inside the office, and -'

'And if we do we'll get the sword,' Neville said firmly.

'Maybe.'

She fumbled at her hair. 'A lot of trouble for a lot of risk and a lot of maybes, isn't it?,' she asked, darkly and with a sad smile on her face.

'But a lot good if we succeed.'

She nodded.

They walked on.

'Besides, you should have a clear mind now,' Neville changed the subject.

She frowned at him, and Neville smiled at her.

'With quidditch coming up,' he reminded her, 'there is a game this Saturday, as far as I know …?'

Ginny's expression suddenly changed. 'Oh, yeah,' she said happily. 'Oh yeah, it's awesome, don't you think? I'm so curious to see the team under pressure... I mean, of course we're not as good if we still had Harry... And Emily Chimney has resigned for Seeker last-minute, so I had to jump in for her and ask Jack Fly if he would be up for chaser, in my place... Pretty much trouble, one week before the match. If I see that Emily again, she'd better brace herself. Pretty unfair to simply leave the team, don't you think?'

Her excited face made Neville smile. 'Yes,' he said, 'very rude indeed.'

'Apparently her parents told her not to involve with much school stuff, saying it could get her into trouble... Ah, and she mentioned they let slip something about blood-traitors on the team...' She shook her head.

'Don't let such comments get you down,' Neville said.

'Of course not. And better she leaves the team now, than the day of the match. Anyway, I've known Emily for four years now, and she never seemed the type... But well, times change, don't they?'

'Pretty good visualized currently,' Neville said gloomily.

She nodded absently. 'Okay, Neville, I'll see you around.'

As she walked off, he noticed how her steps were springing, and a smile twitched around his mouth.


End file.
